000
AXPZ20 KNHC 280320
TWDEP 

TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
0405 UTC SUN FEB 28 2010

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

BASED ON 0000 UTC SURFACE ANALYSIS AND SATELLITE IMAGERY THROUGH 
0300 UTC.

...ITCZ...

AXIS IS ALONG 04N77.5W TO 03.5N85W TO 05.5N98W TO 04N110W TO 
05N122W TO 04N129W TO 04N140W. SCATTERED MODERATE ISOLATED 
STRONG CONVECTION WITHIN 210 NM N AND 120 NM S OF AXIS BETWEEN 
83W AND 91W. SCATTERED MODERATE CONVECTION WITHIN 90 NM N AND 
180 NM S OF AXIS BETWEEN 103W AND 112W. SCATTERED MODERATE 
ISOLATED STRONG CONVECTION WITHIN 180 NM N AND 60 NM S OF AXIS 
BETWEEN 112W AND 117W. 

...DISCUSSION...
A MIDDLE/UPPER TROUGH COVERS THE PACIFIC WATERS N OF 25N E OF 
128W WITH THE AXIS ALONG 117W. FLOW ALOFT IS BECOMING 
INCREASINGLY ANTICYCLONIC OVER THE NW PART OF THE DISCUSSION 
AREA WITH WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATING STRONG SUBSIDENCE. THE 
SUBTROPICAL JET CONTINUES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA EXTENDING 
FROM 08N140W THEN TURNING ANTICYCLONICALLY TO SOUTHERN MEXICO 
BASED ON SATELLITE DERIVED WINDS. DENSE CIRRUS LIES ALONG AND UP 
TO 6 TO 7 DEGREES S OF THE JET AXIS. PREDOMINANTLY ANTICYCLONIC 
FLOW REMAINS S OF THE SUBTROPICAL JET AS THE RESULT OF THE 
CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY AND ASSOCIATED LATENT HEAT RELEASE WITHIN 
THE ITCZ OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS.  

AT THE SURFACE THE COVERAGE OF STRONG TRADES CONTINUES TO 
DECREASE AS THE HIGH PRESSURE CENTER THAT HAS DRIVEN THE STRONG 
TRADES THE PAST WEEK HAS DISSIPATED. CURRENTLY TRADEWINDS OF 20 
KT ARE CONFINED W OF 130W. SEAS FROM 8 TO 11 FT IN MIXED NE AND 
NW SWELL PREVAILS IN THIS AREA. NW SWELLS WITH SEAS TO 23 FT 
PREVAIL ACROSS THE N PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. THESE SWELLS 
WILL CONTINUE TO PROPAGATE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE FORECAST 
PERIOD. 

GAP WINDS 
GALE FORCE WINDS ARE CURRENTLY AFFECTING THE GULF OF 
TEHUANTEPEC. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO FALL BELOW GALE FORCE SUN 
AFTERNOON AS WINDS VEER OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO AND WINDS 
FUNNELING INTO THE GULF OF TEHUANTEPEC DECREASE. 

AS THE COLD FRONT IN THE W CARIBBEAN CONTINUES S...WINDS IN THE 
GULF OF PAPAGAYO AND FONSECA WILL INCREASE ABOVE 20 KT SUN 
MORNING. 

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT 
HTTP://WWW.HURRICANES.GOV/MARINE

$$
AL