The Office of Naval Research Tropical Cyclone Motion initiative is a five-year program to improve understanding of tropical cyclone motion. On 31 August-1 September 1989, a workshop was held in Monterey, California to consider the characteristics of data assimilation systems for tropical analyses. The focus is on special considerations that might apply in preparing a set of final analyses of the observations to be obtained in the Tropical Cyclone Motion field experiment during August and September 1990. The basic characteristics of the analysis grid, handling of the special experimental observations, objective analysis considerations, data assimilation procedures, inclusion of bogus observations, initialization techniques, and other considerations are summarized. Keywords: Meteorological studies; Cyclones; Tropical cyclone motion; Data assimilation; Typhoon motion. (kt)