000
AXPZ20 KNHC 200340
TWDEP 

TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION                                    
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL                           
0405 UTC THU FEB 20 2014

TROPICAL WEATHER DISCUSSION FOR THE EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN FROM 
THE EQUATOR TO 32N...EAST OF 140W. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS 
BASED ON SATELLITE IMAGERY...WEATHER OBSERVATIONS...RADAR...AND 
METEOROLOGICAL ANALYSIS.

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

...INTERTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE/MONSOON TROUGH...              

MONSOON TROUGH EXTENDS FROM 09N84W TO 06N90W TO 04N102W. ITCZ 
CONTINUES FROM 04N102W TO 06N120W TO 06N140W. SCATTERED MODERATE 
CONVECTION IS NOTED WITHIN 60 NM N OF ITCZ AXIS BETWEEN 120W AND 
126W.

...DISCUSSION...

HIGH PRES RIDGE CENTERED N OF THE AREA NEAR 39N131W DOMINATES 
ROUGHLY THE WATERS N OF 15N AND W OF 110W. PRES GRADIENT BETWEEN 
THE HIGH AND A SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA IS 
PRODUCING AN AREA OF FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS N OF 29N 
BETWEEN 119W AND 125W WITH SEAS UP TO 11 FT. THE MOST RECENT 
SCATTEROMETER PASSES PROVIDED OBSERVATIONS OF THESE WINDS WHICH 
ARE FORECAST TO DIMINISH TO 20 KT OR LESS IN ABOUT 24 HOURS AS 
HIGH PRES WEAKENS AND MOVES S.  
 
PRES GRADIENT S OF THE RIDGE N OF THE ITCZ IS PRODUCING A NARROW 
ZONE OF FRESH TO STRONG TRADE WINDS FROM 07N TO 11N W OF 130W 
WITH 8 TO 9 FT SEAS. LATEST SCATTEROMETER DATA AND FEW SHIP 
OBSERVATIONS CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF THESE WINDS. THE AREA OF  
TRADES WILL SHIFT WESTWARD ON THU WITH WINDS DIMINISHING TO 20 
KT AS THE HIGH PRES N OF AREA WEAKENS.  

LONG PERIOD NW SWELL WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT MUCH OF THE WATERS 
W OF 110W AND WILL COMBINE WITH NE SWELL IN THE AREA OF THE 
TRADE WINDS. ADDITIONAL PULSES OF LONG PERIOD NW SWELL...WAVE 
PERIODS OF 18-19 SECONDS...SHOULD REACH THE FAR NW PORTION LATE 
FRI.

GAP WINDS...                                                    
NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20-25 KT WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW ACROSS THE 
GULF OF PANAMA...PARTICULARLY BETWEEN 0600 AND 1200 UTC DURING 
THE NEXT 36-42 HOURS WITH BUILDING SEAS OF 6-7 FT. THESE MARINE 
CONDITIONS WILL EXTEND FARTHER S TO ABOUT 6N. 

GAP WINDS OF 20-25 KT CONTINUE ACROSS THE GULF OF PAPAGAYO AS 
FRESH TRADE WIND FLOW ACROSS THE SW CARIBBEAN FUNNELS THROUGH 
THE GAP. THE WINDS ARE GREATEST DURING THE OVERNIGHT AND EARLY 
MORNING HOURS WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE NOCTURNAL DRAINAGE 
FLOW. THIS WEATHER PATTERN WILL PERSIST OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF 
DAYS.

$$
GR