000
AXPZ20 KNHC 211000
TWDEP

Tropical Weather Discussion
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
1005 UTC Sat Feb 21 2026

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
0930 UTC.

...SPECIAL FEATURES...

Gulf of Tehuantepec Gale Warning: The next gap wind event across
the Tehunatepec region is expected by Sun morning as a ridge 
builds across the eastern slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountains in
Mexico, behind a cold front that will move across the Gulf of 
America. Winds are forecast to suddenly increase to 35 to 40 kt, 
with seas building to 12 ft by Sun evening. Winds will further 
increase to storm force Mon morning, with seas building to 25 ft.
Storm force winds are forecast to continue through Mon night, 
however winds will diminish below gale-force early on Wed. Large 
seas generated from this strong gap wind event will spread well 
away from the Tehuantepec area, with seas 8 ft or greater 
reaching as far west as 110W by Tue evening. 

A Storm Warning will be issued later today. Marine interests 
transiting across or in the Gulf of Tehuantepec Sun evening 
through Tue should be aware of this upcoming gap wind event, and 
take the necessary action to avoid this hazardous marine 
conditions over the affected waters. Please read the latest NWS 
High Seas issued by the National Hurricane Center at website: 
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml 

...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH...

A trough extends from 10N85W to 01N100W. A second trough extends
from 07N77W to 00N88W. The ITCZ extends mainly along the Equator
from 00N103W to 02S120W to 01S140W. Scattered moderate convection
is noted from 03S to 10N E of 90W.

...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO...

A Gale Warning is in effect for the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Please,
see the Special Features section for more details. 

Surface ridging extending from a 1021 mb high near 31N123W covers
the Baja California offshore waters and continue to support moderate
to locally fresh NW winds along with moderate seas in NW swell,
except for decaying rough seas N of Punta Eugenia. In the Gulf 
of California, winds are moderate to fresh from the NW and seas
are slight to 3 ft. Light to gentle winds and slight to moderate
seas are elsewhere.

For the forecast, the next gap wind event across the Tehunatepec
region is expected by Sun morning as a ridge builds across the 
eastern slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico, behind a 
cold front that will move across the Gulf of America. Winds are 
forecast to suddenly increase to 35 to 40 kt, with seas building 
to 12 ft by Sun evening. Winds will further increase to storm 
force Mon morning, with seas building to 25 ft. Storm force winds
are forecast to continue through Mon night, however winds will 
diminish below gale-force early on Wed. Large seas generated from
this strong gap wind event will spread well away from the 
Tehuantepec area, with seas 8 ft or greater reaching as far west 
as 110W by Tue evening. Otherwise, high pressure over the Great 
Basin will induce fresh to strong NW winds across the entire Gulf
of California this afternoon through Mon morning.

....OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, 
AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR...

Fresh NE winds continue over the Papagayo region with seas of 4
to 5 ft. Elsewhere, light to gentle winds and slight to moderate
seas are observed. 

For the forecast, high pressure over Central America will 
support fresh to strong NE to E gap winds over the Papagayo 
region through Wed night, however increasing to near gale-force 
speeds from Mon morning through Wed. Building seas may reach 11 
ft on Tue with this gap wind event. Looking ahead, seas generated
in the Tehuantepec region are forecast to propagate across the 
offshore waters of Guatemala and El Salvador Sun night through 
Tue night with seas building to around 19 ft. 

...REMAINDER OF THE AREA...

Surface ridging extending from a 1021 mb high near 31N123W covers
the subtropical Pacific waters, and continues to support an area
of fresh trades from 08N to 19N W of 130W as indicated by recent
scatterometer data. SOFAR buoys show decaying northerly swell
still supports rough seas to 8 ft over the tropical waters W of
115W and over the subtropical waters between 115W and 130W. 
Elsewhere, winds are moderate or weaker and seas moderate to 7 
ft.

For the forecast, a cold front will reach 30N140W by this 
evening, then move slowly across the NW waters, extending from 
30N135W to 26N140W by Mon morning. Fresh to strong southerly 
winds and moderate to rough seas are expected ahead of the front 
late Sun through late Mon. A new set of long period NW swell will
follow the front, building seas to 13 or 14 ft over the NW 
corner of the forecast region by Mon morning. At the same time, 
a surface ridge will dominate the waters between the front and 
Baja California Norte.

$$
Ramos