Tornado Warning 18, NWS Fort Worth, TX

TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-090200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
340 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 1998

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON
AND TONIGHT ACROSS MOST OF NORTH TEXAS.  THE MODERATE RISK AREA IS
ALONG AND NORTH OF A COMANCHE TO ATHENS LINE AND INCLUDES THE CITIES
OF GRAHAM...EASTLAND...BRIDGEPORT...GRANBURY...SHERMAN...PARIS...
SULPHUR SPRINGS AND THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH METROPLEX.  THERE IS A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS
THE REST OF NORTH TEXAS.  GATESVILLE...WACO...TEMPLE...MEXIA AND
PALESTINE ARE INCLUDED IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA.

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTHEAST
NEW MEXICO LATE THIS AFTERNOON...MOVING GENERALLY EAST.  MEANWHILE...
A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM HAS DEVELOPED OVER NORTHEASTERN NEW
MEXICO WITH A DRY LINE EXTENDING ALONG A TUCUMCARI TO BIG SPRING TO
DEL RIO LINE. INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER WEST TEXAS
ALONG THE DRY LINE AND OVER NORTHWEST TEXAS IN RESPONSE TO THE
APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL LOW.

THE DRY LINE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST UNTIL SUNSET AND
THEN STALL.  THE ASSOCIATED LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD MOVE
EASTWARD INTO NORTH TEXAS AFTER DARK.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL
ENCOUNTER ONLY A SHALLOW LAYER OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TO FEED
ON...SO CONTINUATION OF THE THUNDERSTORMS AFTER DARK WILL DEPEND
MAINLY ON THE INTENSITY OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW AND AND ITS
TRACK.

VERTICAL WIND PROFILES WILL REMAIN HIGHLY FAVORABLE FOR
SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT...WITH THE AIR MASS MODERATELY UNSTABLE.
ISOLATED SUPERCELLS ARE POSSIBLE OVER NORTH TEXAS AHEAD OF THE
DRY LINE THUNDERSTORMS.  SUPERCELLS WOULD BE MORE LIKELY WITH
THE DRY LINE ACTIVITY.  LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW INTENSE
TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

THIS LINE SHOULD REACH A GRAHAM-EASTLAND-BROWNWOOD LINE AROUND 700
PM...A GAINESVILLE-FORT WORTH-GATESVILLE LINE AROUND 1000 PM AND A
PARIS-ATHENS-FRANKLIN LINE SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND SHOULD PREPARE
FOR ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT.