000
AXPZ20 KNHC 200851
TWDEP 

TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION 
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1005 UTC THU MAR 20 2008

TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN FROM 
THE EQUATOR TO 32N...EAST OF 140W. 

BASED ON 0600 UTC SURFACE ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH 
0900 UTC.

...ITCZ...
ITCZ AXIS IS CENTERED ALONG 3N77W 7N105W 6N125W5N140W. SCATTERED 
MODERATE ISOLATED STRONG WITHIN 120 NM S OF THE AXIS FROM 116W 
TO 120W AND WITHIN 1200 NM N OF THE AXIS FROM 128W TO 136W.

...DISCUSSION...
MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE FAR NW CORNER OF THE AREA NEAR 
30N139W TO AN UPPER LEVEL LOW W OF THE AREA NEAR 21N144W. 
MID/UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE IS STREAMING ENE AHEAD OF THE TROUGH TO 
126W WHERE A MID/UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS IDENTIFIED ON WATER VAPOR 
IMAGERY. THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW BECOMES DIFFLUENT TO THE SE OF THE 
TROUGH AND S OF RIDGE ENHANCING ITCZ CONVECTION BETWEEN 
117W-131W.

DEEP LAYER TROUGH EXTENDS SW FROM A TROUGH OVER THE MIDWEST U.S. 
SW THROUGH NW MEXICO AND THROUGH 15N109W. CONFLUENT FLOW INTO 
THE BACK SIDE OF THIS TROUGH IS RESULTING IN MODERATE TO STRONG 
SUBSIDENCE N OF 15N E OF 120W WHERE SKIES ARE MOSTLY CLEAR WITH 
ONLY SCATTERED TO BROKEN STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS FROM 12N-19N 
BETWEEN 112W-123W. MID/UPPER LEVEL RIDGING EXTENDS FROM NW 
COLOMBIA ACROSS CENTRAL AMERICA TO AN ANTICYCLONIC CENTER AND TO 
OVER THE GULF OF HONDURAS. 

SURFACE RIDGE ENTERS THE REGION AT 32N132W 20N113W. HIGH PRES 
COVERS THE AREA N OF 14N W OF 110W. SURFACE TROUGH ANALYZED 
ALONG THE ITCZ FROM FROM 13N102W TO 8N104W. SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND ISOLATED TSTMS ARE WITHIN 60 NM E OF THE TROUGH. COLD FRONT 
WITH TIGHT PRES GRADIENT OVER SE MEXICO BRINGING GALE FORCE 
WINDS INTO THE GULF OF TEHUANTEPEC.

$$
DGS