Validating the NSCAT winds in the vicinity of the pacific intertropical convergence zone

It is known that the NSCAT winds are influenced by precipitation, and so ar e potentially in error in regions of high rainfall, such as the Pacific ITC Z. We assess this potential error by comparing NSCAT winds to other product s and by determining the possible impact on modeling the Pacific NECC. In t he latitude band of the ITCZ, there are large differences between wind prod ucts from the ECMWF and NSCAT. A comparison with TAO buoy winds shows a bia s of NSCAT data towards a higher zonal wind stress at 8 degrees N. The spat ial distribution of this bias distorts the Ekman pumping velocity across th e ITCZ, and results in a NECC that is 0.1-0.2 m/s weaker than that forced b y the ECMWF winds. This is not a trivial amount during the spring, when the strength of the NECC in the eastern Pacific is of the same magnitude.