Sea of Cortez Southern Crossing Forecast
May 15, 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.
A THERMAL TROUGH EXTENDS FROM THE NORTHERN GULF OF CALIFORNIA
SOUTH-SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA. ITS RELATED
GRADIENT IS ALLOWING FOR GENTLE TO MODERATE WEST TO NORTHWEST
WINDS OVER MOST OF THE GULF, EXCEPT FOR FRESH SOUTHWEST WINDS IN
THE NORTHERN SECTION. AN OVERNIGHT SCATTEROMETER SATELLITE DATA
PASS DEPICTED MOST OF THESE WINDS. SEAS OVER THE GULF ARE 3 TO 4
FT, EXCEPT FOR HIGHER SEAS OF 4 TO 6 FT IN LONG-PERIOD SOUTH TO
SOUTHWEST SWELL AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE GULF AND 3 TO 5 FT OVER
THE WATERS FROM 24N TO 25N.
FOR THE FORECAST, FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY GAP WINDS AND ROUGH
SEAS WILL PERSIST IN THE GULF OF TEHUANTEPEC THROUGH THIS
MORNING. MODERATE TO FRESH SOUTHWEST TO WEST GAP WINDS IN THE
NORTHERN GULF OF CALIFORNIA ARE EXPECTED TO PULSE TO STRONG AT
NIGHT THIS WEEKEND. MODERATE TO FRESH NORTHWEST WINDS OVER THE
OFFSHORE WATERS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUN
NIGHT, EXCEPT INCREASING TO FRESH TO STRONG SPEEDS WEST OF BAJA
CALIFORNIA NORTE ALONG WITH VERY ROUGH SEAS EXPECTED TO PEAK TO,
OR NEAR 15 FT IN LARGE NORTHWEST SWELL TONIGHT THROUGH SUN NIGHT
DUE TO A QUICK TIGHTENING OF THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RELATED TO A
BROAD AND STRONG AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE NORTHWEST OF THE AREA THAT
WILL BE SHIFTING EASTWARD. THIS SWELL SHOULD PROPAGATE SOUTHWARD
LEADING TO MODERATE TO ROUGH SEAS WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF BAJA
CALIFORNIA SUR EARLY NEXT WEEK.
THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN BROAD RIDGING WEST OF BAJA
CALIFORNIA AND RELATIVELY LOWER PRESSURE IN BAJA CALIFORNIA IS
GENERALLY ALLOWING FOR MOSTLY MODERATE NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS
NORTH OF PUNTA EUGENIA, AND FOR MODERATE TO FRESH NORTHWEST TO
NORTH WINDS SOUTH OF PUNTA EUGENIA AS INDICATED IN AN OVERNIGHT
SCATTEROMETER DATA PASS. SEAS ARE IN THE RANGE OF 5 TO 7 FT IN
NORTHWEST SWELL OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA,
EXCEPT FOR SLIGHTER HIGHER SEAS TO 8 FT ALONG 30N.
FOR THE FORECAST, THE STRONG 1035 MB HIGH PRESSURE CENTER WILL
SLIDE EASTWARD THROUGH THE LATE SAT LEADING TO A TIGHTENING OF
THE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE FAR NORTHEAST PART OF THE AREA.
THIS WILL USHER IN FRESH TO STRONG NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS OVER
THIS SAME OF THE AREA DURING THE WEEKEND. RESULTANT LARGE NORTH
SWELL WILL BUILD SEAS THERE TO NEAR 15 FT. THE HIGH IS FORECAST
TO WEAKEN SOME EARLY NEXT WEEK ALLOWING FOR THE GRADIENT TO
SLACKEN JUST FOR THE FRESH TO STRONG TO DIMINISH TO MOSTLY
MODERATE TO FRESH SPEEDS. THE LARGE NORTH SWELL WILL BEGIN TO
SLOWLY SUBSIDE FROM MON AND BEYOND, WITH SEAS WEST OF BAJA
CALIFORNIA DROPPING TO BELOW 12 FT.
SHORT-TERM SOUTHERN CROSSING (along 23N)
TODAY - W 10-13, Seas SSW 2.1-4.8 ft @ 14sec
TONITE - WNW 3-4, Seas SSW --? ft @ 15sec
SATURDAY - W 7-9, Seas SSW 1.8-4.2 ft @ 14sec
SATURDAY NIGHT - WNW 3-4, Seas SSW --? ft @ 15sec
LONG-TERM SOUTHERN CROSSING
SUNDAY - WSW 11-14, Seas SSW 2.7-4.6 ft @ 15sec
MONDAY - WSW 9-11, Seas SSW 2.7-4.6 ft @ 15sec
TUESDAY - NW 8-10, Seas SSW 1.5-3.8 ft @ 13sec
WEDNESDAY - WNW 11-14, Seas N/A ?-? ft @ ?
THURSDAY - WNW 10-12, Seas N/A ?-? ft @ ?