Sea of Cortez Southern Crossing Forecast
May 18, 2026, 9:01 am (UTC: -04:00)
Subject: Sea of Cortez Southern Crossing Forecast
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This forecast has not been reviewed. It was generated from an automatic model.
WARNINGS
.NONE.
.WITHIN 31N113W TO 31N114W TO 30N115W TO 30N114W TO 30N113W TO
31N113W...INCLUDING THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA... S TO SW WINDS 25
TO 35 KT. SEAS LESS THAN 2.5 M.
.12 HOUR FORECAST CONDITIONS IMPROVE. WINDS 20 KT OR LESS. SEAS
LESS THAN 2.5 M.
LOW PRESSURE IS MOVING EASTWARD OVER THE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY
IN BETWEEN HIGHER PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND NORTHWEST
MEXICO. THIS PATTERN IS SUPPORTING STRONG TO NEAR-GALE FORCE SW
GAP WINDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF OF CALIFORNIA. THESE WINDS
HAVE DIMINISHED SLIGHTLY FROM GALE-FORCE WINDS EARLIER THIS
EVENING. MODERATE TO ROUGH SEAS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE GAP
WINDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF. THE PATTERN IS ALSO SUPPORTING
FRESH NW WINDS OFF BAJA CALIFORNIA NORTE, AS NOTED IN RECENT
SCATTEROMETER SATELLITE DATA. CONCURRENT ALTIMETER SATELLITE AND
SOFAR BUOY DATA CONFIRMED THE LARGE SWELL OFF BAJA CALIFORNIA
MENTIONED IN THE SPECIAL FEATURES SECTION, WITH 10-13 FT
COMBINED SEAS NORTH OF CABO SAN LAZARO. GENTLE BREEZES ARE NOTED
ELSEWHERE. SEAS ARE 6-9 FT OFF BAJA CALIFORNIA OFF BAJA
CALIFORNIA SUR SOUTH OF CABO SAN LAZARO, 4-6 FT ELSEWHERE OFF
SOUTHERN MEXICO, AND 1-3 FT OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN GULF OF
CALIFORNIA.
...SPECIAL FEATURES...
SIGNIFICANT SWELL EVENT WEST OF BAJA CALIFORNIA NORTE:
VERY LARGE, LONG-PERIOD NW SWELL IS CAUSING VERY ROUGH SEAS OF 12
TO 16 FT, NORTH OF 27N AND EAST OF 125W, INCLUDING WATERS NEAR
GUADALUPE ISLAND. THIS SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO PROPAGATE SOUTHWARD
THROUGH THIS EVENING, CAUSING VERY ROUGH SEAS TO REACH NEAR 26N
LATE TONIGHT. AS THE NW SWELL GRADUALLY DECAYS AND RETREATS
NORTHWARD THROUGH LATE TUE, SEAS SHOULD SUBSIDE BELOW 12 FT BY
LATE TONIGHT.
SHORT-TERM SOUTHERN CROSSING (along 23N)
TODAY - SSW 9-11, Seas SSW 2.2-4.3 ft @ 14sec
TONITE - S 8-10, Seas SSW --? ft @ 14sec
TUESDAY - WNW 6-7, Seas SSW 1.3-3.8 ft @ 13sec
TUESDAY NIGHT - S 8-10, Seas SSW --? ft @ 14sec
LONG-TERM SOUTHERN CROSSING
WEDNESDAY - NW 6-8, Seas SSW 1.1-3.7 ft @ 15sec
THURSDAY - W 6-8, Seas SSW 1.3-3.4 ft @ 18sec
FRIDAY - W 10-12, Seas SSW 1.6-3.4 ft @ 16sec
SATURDAY - W 10-12, Seas N/A ?-? ft @ ?
SUNDAY - WSW 6-7, Seas N/A ?-? ft @ ?