Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather Discussion
070 AXPZ20 KNHC 051419 TWDEP Tropical Weather Discussion NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1605 UTC Thu Nov 5 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 1200 UTC surface analysis and satellite imagery through 1400 UTC. ...SPECIAL FEATURES... Heavy Precipitation across Central America: Deep-layer troughing over the northwestern Caribbean extends southwestward across northern portions of Central America and into the tropical eastern Pacific. This feature will interact with enhanced low- level moisture and onshore flow south of the monsoon trough over the next several days. This will favor heavy precipitation developing across Central America starting today and lasting through at least Friday. The heaviest precipitation is expected across Nicaragua and Costa Rica, with the bulk of precipitation occurring through Thursday. Heavy rainfall may lead to life- threatening flash flooding and landslides. Please refer to your local weather agency and the International Desk at the Weather Prediction Center for more details. Low pressure offshore Nicaragua: A broad area of low pressure offshore of Central America is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms that have not become any better organized over the past day. Gradual development of this system is possible during the next several days, and a tropical depression could form by this weekend while the low drifts slowly offshore of the Central America coast. Regardless of development, this system could bring areas of heavy rain to portions of Central America through this weekend. This system has a medium chance of tropical cyclone formation in the next 48 hours and 7 days. Please refer to the latest NHC Tropical Weather Outlook at website: https://www.hurricanes.gov/text/MIATWOEP.shtml for more details. ...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH... The monsoon trough extends from across the border of Nicaragua and Costa Rica to near the Gulf of Papagayo at 11N86W to broad 1008 mb low pressure at 10N91W to 07N101W to 1011 mb low pressure at 08N112W to 04N122W to 05N128W. The ITCZ extends from 05N128W to 09N140W. Isolated to widely scattered moderate to strong convection is noted from 03.4S to 15N between 77W and 93W, from 03.4S to 12N between 103W and 122W, and within 330 nm NE of the ITCZ between 130W and 140W. Similar convection is from 01N to 04N between 130W and 135W. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF MEXICO... Moderate to locally fresh NW winds are present in the offshore waters of Baja California north of Cabo San Lazaro due to high pressure N of the region. Seas in these waters are 7 to 9 ft. Moderate to fresh gap winds have developed in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Elsewhere, across the Mexican offshore waters, light to gentle winds prevail, with moderate seas in mainly SW swell, mixed with NW swell west of 105W, and except for the Gulf of California, where slight seas dominate. For the forecast, large NW swell will impact the Baja waters through tonight, with reinforcing NW swell arriving Fri and lingering into early Sun. Fresh winds will pulse in the northern Gulf of California and near Cabo Corrientes starting Fri and continue through the weekend, locally strong in the northern Gulf of California. Looking ahead, fresh to strong northerly gap winds will develop in the Gulf of Tehuantepec Fri night, then increase Sun night as a cold front moves into the SW Gulf of America, with gales possible Mon night. Expect rough seas with these winds. Another set of large and rough NW swell is likely to approach Baja California Mon. ...OFFSHORE WATERS WITHIN 250 NM OF CENTRAL AMERICA, COLOMBIA, AND WITHIN 750 NM OF ECUADOR... Please see Special Features section above for information on low pressure offshore Nicaragua that has potential for tropical development as well as a heavy rainfall threat over portions of Central America. A zone of moderate to locally fresh S-SW winds is noted ESE of this low. Otherwise, winds are gentle to moderate with moderate seas. For the forecast, other than the low pressure area with tropical cyclone formation potential, gentle to moderate winds and moderate seas will prevail. ...REMAINDER OF THE AREA... The pressure gradient between high pressure building in from the north and lower pressure along the monsoon trough is leading to widespread fresh NE to E winds across waters N of the monsoon trough and west of 125W, locally strong from 11N to 24N to the W of 130W. Long period NW swell and wind-waves are combining to create rough seas over the same area. Elsewhere, light to gentle winds prevail, with moderate seas. For the forecast, moderate to fresh trades will prevail over the west-central waters through the end of the week, locally strong into the weekend until the gradient relaxes some. Reinforcing NW swell will start to arrive today, keeping seas rough. Additional NW swell will keep moving in through the weekend and into early next week. Looking ahead, merging NW and SE swell is likely to produce 8 to 9 ft seas close to the equator by late Fri into the weekend, possibly lingering into early next week.