Tornado Watch 320

Issued

May 9, 1998, 2:00 PM CDT (19:00 UTC)

Expired

May 9, 1998, 8:00 PM CDT

In force

6 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

724 
WWUS9 KMKC 091828
SEL0  
MKC WW 091828
ARZ000-TNZ000-MSZ000-MOZ000-100100-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 320
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
128 PM CDT SAT MAY 9 1998

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

   EASTERN ARKANSAS                           
   WEST TENNESSEE                          
   NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI                        
   THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL                           

EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 200 PM UNTIL 800
PM CDT.

THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF
VERY DAMAGING TORNADOES.  ALSO...LARGE HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN
DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 85 MPH...AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 80 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF DYERSBURG TENNESSEE TO
30 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF GREENWOOD MISSISSIPPI.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. 
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...  CONTINUE...WW 318...WW 319...

DISCUSSION...INCREASING THREAT FOR SUPERCELLS AND TORNADOES THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS SURFACE HEATING...LARGE SCALE ASCENT IN
EXIT REGION OF APPROACHING 75 KT MID LEVEL SPEED MAX...AND LOW
LEVEL CONVERGENCE N OF TRIPLE POINT LOW CONTINUE OVER REGION.  18Z
SOUNDINGS AT SHV AND JAN...ALONG WITH SATELLITE AND RADAR DATA...
SUGGEST THAT PLUME OF SURFACE-BASED INSTABILITY LIES BETWEEN N/S
BOUNDARY ALONG THE AR/OK BORDER AND NE/SW LINE OF WARM ADVECTION
CONVECTION OVER SE AR/WRN MS.  SUBSTANTIAL SURFACE PRESSURE FALLS
NOW OCCURRING OVER E CENTRAL AR/NW MS POINT TO CONTINUED ENE
MOVEMENT OF TRIPLE POINT WAVE NEAR SHV...WITH AMPLE VERTICAL SHEAR
FOR SUPERCELLS AND A FEW TORNADOES.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES.  EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 75 KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 25040.


...CORFIDI

363,0881 331,0881 331,0905 363,0910

Tornado Watches in Mississippi, 1998Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 1998Tornado Watches in Arkansas, 1998Every tornado watch in 1998

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.