000 AXPZ20 KNHC 240351 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 0405 UTC Sun Mar 24 2024 Tropical Weather Discussion for the eastern Pacific Ocean from 03.4S to 30N, east of 120W including the Gulf of California, and from the Equator to 30N, between 120W and 140W. The following information is based on satellite imagery, weather observations, radar, and meteorological analysis. Based on 0000 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0330 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gulf of California: A cold front will move across the Gulf of California this evening through Sun. Gale force winds will develop in the northern Gulf this evening and continue through Sun morning. Seas could build to 8 to 9 ft near the highest winds. Strong to near gale force winds will continue across the northern and central Gulf through Sun night into Mon morning as the cold front dissipates. Conditions will improve Mon into Mon night. Please read the latest High Seas Forecast at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml for more information. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... A surface trough extends from the coast of Panama near 08N82W to 05N110W to 01S129W. The ITCZ continues from 01S129W to beyond 02N140W. Scattered moderate convection is noted from 02N to 09N between 83W and 128W. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Please see the Special Features section for more information on the Gale Warning in the Gulf of California. A cold front stretches across the Baja California Norte offshore waters from 30N116W to 27N119W. Fresh to strong winds follow the front with seas 6 to 8 ft within NW swell. The cold front also stretches in the extreme northern Gulf of California with strong to gale force winds and seas to 7 ft. Meanwhile, across the rest of the Baja California and the SW Mexico offshore waters, winds are moderate with seas ranging 4 to 6 ft. Surface ridging building in the wake of a cold front moving across the Gulf of Mexico is supporting a gap wind event with fresh to strong speeds and seas to 7 ft in the Tehuantepec region. Elsewhere, winds are light to gentle in the southern Gulf of California and southern Mexico offshore waters with slight to moderate seas. For the forecast, a cold front will move through the Baja California and northern Gulf of California offshore waters tonight into Sun. Gale force winds are expected in the northern Gulf through Sun morning. Seas are expected to build 8 to 9 ft. Strong winds will persist in the northern and central Gulf Sun through Mon morning, with conditions improving by Mon afternoon. Meanwhile, fresh to strong winds will follow the front across the Baja California offshore waters with rough to very rough seas tonight through Mon. Winds off the Baja Peninsula will diminish to moderate speeds Mon night and seas will subside below 8 ft by Tue night into Wed. A brief gap wind event for the Tehuantepec region will occur tonight, bringing fresh to strong winds to the region along with 5 to 7 ft seas. A stronger gap wind with potential gale winds is forecast to begin Wed night into Thu morning and continue through Fri morning. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR Light to gentle variable winds and moderate seas are ongoing across the Central America offshore waters as well as the offshore zones between the coast of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Scattered showers are noted between the coast of Colombia and the Costa Rica offshore waters. For the forecast, light to gentle variable winds and moderate seas are forecast to prevail through Thu night. ...REMAINDER OF THE AREA... A cold front extends from 30N116W to 18N140W intersecting a broad surface ridge that extends to 14N and 110W. Strong high pressure behind this front supports fresh to strong northerly winds and 7 to 11 ft seas in NW swell N of 15N to 30N. From the ITCZ to 15N, moderate to fresh winds and seas 8 to 10 ft are present W of 120W. Light to gentle breezes are elsewhere south of the ITCZ and the equatorial trough. Seas range from 5 to 7 ft across these remainder Pacific waters. For the forecast, shorter period wind waves created by moderate to fresh winds along the ITCZ will merge with the longer period NW swell propagating across the region from the cold front this evening. The cold front is expected to push eastward through Sun, eventually dissipating by Sun night. Fresh to strong winds behind the cold front will continue through Mon. Seas 8 to 10 ft will follow the front while combining with the wind waves near the ITCZ tonight. By Sun, seas could build to 15 ft east of 126W to the Baja California coast. $$ AReinhart