000
AXPZ20 KNHC 262208
TWDEP 

TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION 
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
2205 UTC FRI DEC 26 2008

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

BASED ON 1800 UTC SURFACE ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH 
2130 UTC.

...ITCZ...
THE INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE AXIS IS ALONG THE 
LINE...06N78W TO 07N110W TO 09N130W TO 06N140W. NO SIGNIFICANT 
CONVECTION NOTED. 

...DISCUSSION...
SHIP OBSERVATIONS AND ASCAT DATA SHOW 20 TO 25 KT NORTHERLY 
WINDS BEHIND A COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM 27N115W TO 24N127W. 
AMPLIFIED UPPER LEVEL PATTERN PERSISTS WITH A RIDGE ALONG 145W 
AND A LONG WAVE TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN U.S. FROM THE MOUNTAINS 
THROUGH NORTHERN BAJA TO THEN WEST ALONG 26N TO 130W. A SERIES 
OF SHORT WAVE TROUGH CONTINUE TO FLATTEN THE NORTHERN EDGE OF 
THE RIDGE...THEN DIG INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AT THE BASE OF THE 
MAIN TROUGH...SUPPORTING THE COLD FRONT IN THE AREA. FRESH SW 
WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT OVER THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA WILL SHIFT 
NW TO NE AND INCREASE BEHIND THE FRONT TONIGHT THEN INCREASE 
FURTHER TO 30 KT SAT AS HIGH PRES BUILDS TO THE NORTH. SURFACE 
HIGH PRES BUILDING BEHIND THE FRONT THROUGH TOMORROW WILL 
MAINTAIN A BROAD SWATH OF TRADE WINDS TO THE SOUTH OF THE 
HIGH....BUT ALLOW WINDS TO DIMINISH GENERALLY N OF 25N. 
MEANWHILE LONG PERIOD NORTHERLY SWELL TO 16 FT WILL CONTINUE TO 
PUSH INTO THE AREA FROM THE NE PACIFIC. FURTHER SOUTH ALONG THE 
COAST...STRONG TRADES OVER THE CARIBBEAN CONTINUE TO PROMPT GAP 
WINDS THROUGH THE GULF OF PAPAGAYO AND INTO ADJACENT PACIFIC 
WATERS. 

$$
CHRISTENSEN