000
AXPZ20 KNHC 170218
TWDEP 

Tropical Weather Discussion
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
0405 UTC Tue Feb 17 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 0000 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through
0000 UTC.

...SPECIAL FEATURES...

Significant Large NW Swell: Large NW swell continues to move
southeastward across the NW and north-central waters this 
evening, behind and just ahead of a cold front which extends 
from the far northern Gulf of California to off Baja California 
Norte near Punta Eugenia, then to near 16N136W. Seas of 12 ft 
and greater have reached as far S as 22N to the W of 119W, with 
peak seas currently around 18 ft near 30N130W. Very rough seas 
of 12 ft and greater will continue to propagate southeastward
tonight, then begin to slowly subside, with seas 12 ft and 
greater N of 23N and W of 118W by early Tue. Seas will then 
continue to subside to less than 12 ft Tue evening, before new N 
swell enters the northern waters by early Wed, raising seas above
12 ft across the waters N of 27N between 117W and 139W by Wed 
evening, and spreading southward through midnight Wed before 
beginning to slowly subside through Thu. Please refer to the 
latest NWS High Seas Forecast at website:
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAHSFEP2.shtml for more details.

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

A trough extends from 09N84.5W to 01N98W. The ITCZ extends from
01N98W to 00N110W to 02N125W to beyond 02N140W. Widely scattered
moderate convection is noted from 02N to 11N between 126W and 
137W.

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

A cold front stretches from the far northern Gulf of California
to across Baja California Norte to offshore near Punta Eugenia.
Fresh to near gale-force SW winds are in the northern Gulf of
California ahead of the front, with fresh to strong winds behind
the front offshore Baja California Norte. Building seas in rough
to very rough NW swell are arriving behind the front. Fresh to
strong N gap winds are in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Winds are
moderate or weaker across the remainder of the waters with
moderate seas, except slight seas in the central and southern
Gulf of California.

For the forecast, a cold front from the far northern Gulf of 
California to off Baja California Norte near Punta Eugenia will 
reach from NW Mexico across central portions of the Gulf of 
California and Baja California to near 20N120W by Tue morning. 
Fresh to strong S to SW winds ahead of the front will move into 
the nearshore waters of Baja Norte this evening and prevail 
across the northern Gulf of California this evening through 
midday Tue. High pressure will build in across the area waters in
the wake of the front Tue through Fri, producing fresh to 
locally strong northerly winds nearshore Baja California to near 
Cabo Corrientes Wed through Thu night. Strong to near gale-force 
W to SW winds will develop again across the northern Gulf of 
California early Wed through Wed evening, then again Thu night 
into early Fri due to localized troughing. NW swell will continue
to build across the waters of Baja California this evening 
through Wed, then become reinforced Wed night through the end of 
the week, decaying during the upcoming weekend. Fresh to strong 
winds will continue across the Gulf of Tehuantepec this evening 
through midday Tue before diminishing, then become onshore Wed 
through Sat. 

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

Moderate to fresh offshore gap winds prevail across the Papagayo
region, while gentle to moderate northerly winds are occurring 
across the Gulf of Panama and veer NE and pass south of the 
Azuero Peninsula. Winds are light to gentle elsewhere. Seas are 2
to 4 ft offshore Colombia, and 3 to 5 ft elsewhere.

For the forecast, fresh to strong NE to E gap winds and moderate
seas will pulse across the Papagayo region starting tonight as 
high pressure builds across Central America from the north, 
continuing through early Thu, then become moderate to fresh 
thereafter. Moderate N to NE winds will pulse to locally fresh 
from the Gulf of Panama to south of the Azuero Peninsula through 
mid- week. Elsewhere, moderate or weaker winds and slight to 
moderate seas will change little through the next several days. 

...REMAINDER OF THE AREA...

Please refer to the Special Features section for more details on
significant NW swell forecast for the northern waters.

A cold front extends from the far northern Gulf of California
to off Baja California Norte near Punta Eugenia, then to near
16N136W. Fresh to strong W-NW winds are N of 27N and W of the
front. Fresh to strong NE trades are found from 14N to 20N
between 130W and 140W. Winds are mainly moderate or weaker across
the remainder of the open waters. Rough seas are W of a line from
30N116W to 20N128W to 14N140W with very rough seas as described
above. Seas are moderate elsewhere.

For the forecast, the cold front will continue to move eastward
tonight, with fresh to strong winds behind it, and will reach 
from near Punta Abreojos to 13N130W by Tue morning. Winds N of 
20N behind the front will gradually diminish from W to E tonight 
through Tue as the front weakens and continues moving eastward, 
before gradually dissipating late Tue. High pressure will build 
in the wake of the front Tue through Fri as a low to middle-
level disturbance develops S of 20N and near 140W. This scenario 
will produce a broad area of fresh to strong trades N of the 
ITCZ to near 24N and W of 128W late Tue through early Fri.  
Expect active showers and thunderstorms, with rough to very rough
seas in NW swell to accompany these increasing trades.

$$
Lewitsky