000
AXPZ20 KNHC 232123
TWDEP 

TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
2205 UTC TUE MAR 23 2010

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 
2100 UTC.

...ITCZ...
AXIS IS ALONG 05N77W TO 04.5N80W TO 06.5N87W TO 03N99W TO 
07N120W TO 04.5N140W. SCATTERED MODERATE ISOLATED STRONG 
CONVECTION WITHIN 100 NM EITHER SIDE OF AXIS BETWEEN 82W AND 
93W. SCATTERED MODERATE CONVECTION WITHIN 180 NM N AND 90 NM S 
OF AXIS BETWEEN 100W AND 115W. SCATTERED MODERATE ISOLATED 
STRONG CONVECTION WITHIN 240 NM S OF AXIS W OF 126W. 

...DISCUSSION...
A LARGE AMPLITUDE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH EXTENDS FROM THE N PART OF 
THE BAJA PENINSULA SW TO 11N125W. UPPER LEVEL RIDGING PREVAILS 
ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TROUGH. 
UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE FROM CONVECTION IN THE ITCZ W OF 126W IS 
ADVECTING NE IN THE SW FLOW ON THE E SIDE OF THE UPPER LEVEL 
TROUGH TOWARD AND OVER CENTRAL MEXICO. 

AT THE SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE 1027 MB CENTERED NEAR 32N134W IS 
MAINTAINING A LARGE AREA OF FRESH TO STRONG TRADES N OF 05N W OF 
128W. THE STRONG TRADES ARE MAINTAINING MOISTURE FLUX AS THEY 
FLOW INTO THE ITCZ...AND MAINTAINING ENOUGH MOISTURE CONVERGENCE 
TO KEEP THE ITCZ CONVECTIVELY ACTIVE W OF 125W. STRONG TO NEAR 
GALE WINDS FLOWING ACROSS THE GULF OF PAPAGAYO IS ALSO HELPING 
FUEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE INTO THE ITCZ TO MAINTAIN CONVECTIVE 
ACTIVITY BETWEEN 82W AND 93W.

GAP WINDS
GULF OF TEHUANTEPEC WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED BELOW GALE FORCE 
EARLIER AND ARE EXPECTED TO FALL BELOW 20 KT TONIGHT. WITH THE 
COLD FRONT IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN REACHING NICARAGUA...WINDS 
FUNNELING INTO THE GULF OF PAPAGAYO HAVE INCREASED. BASED ON THE 
LATEST ASCAT PASS...WINDS ARE NORTHEASTERLY 20-30 KT. WINDS WILL 
GRADUALLY DIMINISH...BUT REMAIN ABOVE 20 KT FOR THE REMAINDER OF 
THE FORECAST PERIOD. STRONG TRADES FROM THE CARIBBEAN ARE ALSO 
FUNNELING INTO THE GULF OF PANAMA...PRODUCING A SMALL AREA OF 20 
KT WINDS N OF 06.5N BETWEEN 79W AND 81W. THESE WINDS WILL 
MAINTAIN UNTIL TOMORROW NIGHT...THEN DIMINISH BELOW 20 KT. 

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

$$
AL