Pneumatic tire having improved wet traction

A pneumatic tire for use on paved surfaces comprising a pair of annular beads, carcass plies wrapped around said annular beads, a tread disposed over said carcass plies in a crown area of said tire, and sidewalls disposed between said tread and said beads wherein said tread is directional and has a footprint net-to-gross ratio of 50% to 70% and two annular aqua channels each having a width of about 10% to 20% of total treadwidth based on the footprint of the tire and a depth of 78% to 100% of total tread depth, and wherein shoulder lateral grooves between an aqua channel and a shoulder are disposed having a first end in a leading part of the tread pattern nearer the aqua channel than a shoulder and a second end in a part of the tread pattern nearer a shoulder than an aqua channel, and wherein center lateral groves between aqua channels have a first portion in the leading part of the tread pattern closer to a center of the tire than to an aqua channel and a second portion in the part of the tread pattern closer to an aqua channel than to the center of the tire, and wherein the center of said tire comprises a rib and said aqua channels have an extended U-shape wherein one wall of the aqua channel has a steeper incline than the opposite side of the aqua channel.