Sea of Cortez Southern Crossing Forecast
May 18, 2026, 3:01 pm (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.
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.
FOR THE FORECAST, A TROUGH MOVING ACROSS THE COLORADO RIVER
VALLEY AND HIGHER PRESSURE OVER NORTHWESTERN MEXICO AND THE
EASTERN PACIFIC ARE ALTOGETHER SUPPORTING FRESH SW TO NW GAP
WINDS IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF CALIFORNIA THIS MORNING. THIS IS
ALSO SUPPORTING MODERATE TO FRESH NW WINDS OFF BAJA CALIFORNIA
NORTE. WINDS IN BOTH AREAS WILL SUBSIDE TO BETWEEN GENTLE AND
MODERATE LATER THIS AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION, VERY LARGE AND LONG-
PERIOD NW SWELL WILL MAINTAIN VERY ROUGH SEAS OFF BAJA CALIFORNIA
NORTE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON, THEN SUBSIDE TO ROUGH THIS EVENING
THROUGH TUE. ROUGH SEAS WILL ALSO LINGER NEAR BAJA CALIFORNIA
SUR THROUGH TUE. GENTLE TO MODERATE WINDS AND MODERATE SEAS WILL
PERSIST ELSEWHERE THROUGH FRI.
...SPECIAL FEATURES...
SIGNIFICANT SWELL EVENT WEST OF BAJA CALIFORNIA NORTE:
VERY LARGE, LONG-PERIOD NW SWELL IS MAINTAINING VERY ROUGH SEAS
OF 12 TO 15 FT, NORTH OF 26N BETWEEN 117W AND 127W, INCLUDING
WATERS NEAR GUADALUPE ISLAND. THIS SWELL WILL GRADUALLY DECAY AND
RETREAT NORTHWARD THROUGH LATE TUE, WHICH SHOULD ALLOW SEAS TO
SUBSIDE BELOW 12 FT BY LATE THIS EVENING.
SHORT-TERM SOUTHERN CROSSING (along 23N)
TODAY - SSW 9-11, Seas SSW 2.2-4.3 ft @ 14sec
TONITE - SSW 9-11, Seas SSW 2.2-4.3 ft @ 14sec
TUESDAY - WNW 6-7, Seas SSW 1.3-3.8 ft @ 13sec
TUESDAY NIGHT - SSW 9-11, Seas SSW 2.2-4.3 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 @ ?