000 AXPZ20 KNHC 240922 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1005 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 0600 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 0900 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Gulf of California: A cold front will move across the Gulf of California today. Gale force winds will continue in the northern Gulf through this 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 tonight into Mon morning as the cold front dissipates. Conditions will improve later on 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 06N110W to 02S130W. The ITCZ continues from 02S130W to 01S140W. Scattered moderate convection is noted from 01N to 10N between 92W 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 29N114W to 25N118W. The latest ASCAT overnight depicted fresh to strong NW winds following the front with seas 6 to 10 ft within NW swell. The cold front also stretches across the northern Gulf of California with strong to gale force winds and seas to 8 to 9 ft. Meanwhile, across the rest of the Baja California and the SW Mexico offshore waters, winds are moderate with seas ranging 4 to 7 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 today. Gale force winds are expected in the northern Gulf through this morning. Seas are expected to build 8 to 9 ft. Strong winds will persist in the northern and central Gulf today 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 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. Winds will continue to pulse around the region Mon and Tue. 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 south of the Galapagos Islands. 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 29N114W to 18N135W and is 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 from 13N to 30N. From the ITCZ to 13N, moderate to fresh winds and seas 8 to 10 ft are present W of 110W. 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 has merged with the longer period NW swell propagating across the region from the cold front. The cold front is expected to push eastward through Sun, eventually dissipating by Sun night. Fresh to strong winds behind the cold front and north fo the ITCZ will continue through Mon night. 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. Moderate to fresh winds will continue north of the ITCZ through most of the week with seas to 10 ft. $$ AReinhart