000 AXPZ20 KNHC 231525 TWDEP TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 1605 UTC SUN MAR 23 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 2N78W 3N105W 6N125W 3N140W. SCATTERED MODERATE WITH ISOLATED STRONG CONVECTION IS WITHIN 120 NM OF THE COAST OF PERU AND COLOMBIA FROM 1N TO 3.5N. SCATTERED MODERATE WITH ISOLATED STRONG CONVECTION IS WITHIN 60 NM OF THE POINT 6N107W AND WITHIN 90 NM OF THE POINT 8.5N113W. AND WITHIN 60 NM OF THE POINTS 6.5N126W AND 4N135W. ...DISCUSSION... UPPER LEVELS... A MAINLY UPPER TROUGH WITH AN AXIS ALONG THE LINE 3N95W TO NEAR 20N80W CONTINUES TO MOVE SLOWLY EAST. A 300 NM WIDE PLUME OF UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE AND BROKEN UPPER CLOUDS EXTENDS EAST OF THE TROUGH AXIS. THE TROUGH IS FORECAST TO DRIFT EAST AND WEAKEN OVER CENTRAL AMERICA. DRY AND CLOUD FREE MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVELS EXTENDS 900 NM W OF THE TROUGH AXIS. ANOTHER TROUGH IS OVER THE WEST CENTRAL PART OF THE AREA WITH AN AXIS ALONG THE LINE 32N125W TO 17N140W. DRY AND CLOUD FREE MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVELS EXTENDS 240 NM NW OF THE TROUGH AXIS. A BROAD PLUME OF MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE AND BROKEN HIGH CLOUDS IS EAST OF THE TROUGH AND EXTENDS EAST TO 120W. THE MOISTURE IS COMING FROM THE ITCZ AND EXTENDS NORTH TO NEAR 25N WHERE THE FLOW TURNS EAST AND FLOWS OVER CENTRAL MEXICO. OTHER THAN THE TWO TROUGHS THE MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVELS ARE BROAD ANTICYCLONIC FLOW. SURFACE... MODERATE RIDGE IS NORTH OF 10N WEST OF 107W AND THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA. A TROUGH EXTENDS ALONG THE WEST COAST OF MEXICO AND THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA NORTH OF 25N. ELSEWHERE BROAD TROUGH IS ANALYZED. GAP WINDS OF NEAR 20 KNOTS CONTINUE IN THE GULF OF PAPAGAYO REGION. THESE WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 KNOTS TUESDAY. GAP WINDS WILL BEGIN IN THE GULF OF TEHUANTEPEC REGION TONIGHT AND WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE TO GALE FORCE AND CONTINUE THROUGH 48 HOURS. $$ LL