000 AXPZ20 KNHC 211516 TWDEP TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 1605 UTC FRI MAR 21 2008 TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN FROM THE EQUATOR TO 32N...EAST OF 140W. BASED ON 1200 UTC SURFACE ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH 1500 UTC. ...ITCZ... ITCZ AXIS IS CENTERED ALONG 2N77W 2N110W 5N125W 5N140W. SCATTERED MODERATE WITH ISOLATED STRONG CONVECTION IS WITHIN 90 NM OF THE POINT 8N114.5W. SCATTERED MODERATE WITH ISOLATED STRONG CONVECTION IS WITHIN THE AREA 60 NM EITHER SIDE THE ITCZ FROM 118W TO 128W. ...DISCUSSION... UPPER LEVELS... MAINLY UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS OVER CENTRAL MEXICO AND THE ADJACENT PACIFIC. THE AREA IS EAST OF 106W AND NORTH OF A LINE 11N106W TO BEYOND 20N95W. PATCHY UPPER LEVEL CLOUDS ARE OVER NORTHERN MEXICO BUT THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA IS DRY AND CLOUD FREE IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVELS AND VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY ALSO INDICATES CLEAR SKIES IN THE LOWER LEVELS. A NARROW...200 NM WIDE...PLUME OF MOISTURE EXTENDS SOUTHEAST OF THE TROUGH AND IS FLOWING OVER EASTERN MEXICO WITH SOME AREAS OF BROKEN HIGH CLOUDS. A DEEP LAYER TROUGH IS OVER THE WESTERN PART OF THE AREA NORTH WEST OF A LINE 32N115W 20N135W 15N140W. NORTH OF 22N THIS REGION IS MOIST IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVELS BUT THERE ARE ONLY A FEW HIGH CLOUDS. S OF 22N THE REGION IS DRY AND CLOUD FREE IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVELS. A BROAD PLUME OF MIDDLE AND UPPER MOISTURE WITH BROKEN TO OVERCAST MULTI LEVEL CLOUDS EXTENDS WITHIN 600 NM SOUTHEAST OF THE TROUGH AND THIS AIR IS FLOWING OVER NORTHERN MEXICO. THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA IS BROAD ANTICYCLONIC FLOW. SURFACE... MODERATE RIDGE IS NORTH OF 11N WEST OF 110W. REMAINDER OF THE AREA IS ANALYZED AS A BROAD TROUGH. GALE FORCE GAP WINDS IN THE GULF OF TEHUANTEPEC REGION WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH TODAY AND BY EARLY SATURDAY WILL DIMINISH TO LESS THAN 20 KT. GAP WINDS IN THE GULF OF PAPAGAYO REGION WILL CONTINUE IN THE 20 TO 25 KNOT RANGE THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY THEN DIMINISH TO 20 KNOTS BY EARLY SUNDAY. $$ LL