Tornado Watch 797

Issued

Oct 24, 2001, 11:45 AM CDT (16:45 UTC)

Expired

Oct 24, 2001, 7:00 PM CDT

In force

7 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

075 
WWUS9 KMKC 241641
SEL7  

SEL7  
MKC WW 241628
ILZ000-INZ000-KYZ000-MOZ000-OHZ000-250000-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 797
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1128 AM CDT WED OCT 24 2001

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

   SOUTHERN AND EASTERN ILLINOIS                           
   INDIANA                            
   NORTHWEST KENTUCKY                           
   EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI                           
   NORTHWEST OHIO                               

EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING AND EVENING FROM 1145 AM UNTIL 700
PM CDT.

 ...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...
 
DAMAGING TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE
POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 135 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 5 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF CARBONDALE ILLINOIS TO 55
MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF FORT WAYNE INDIANA.

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.


DISCUSSION...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING ALONG AND AHEAD OF
THE COLD FRONT OVER MISSOURI INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS.  CONVECTION IS
EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AS VERY STRONG UPPER TROUGH AND
JET STREAM SURGE EASTWARD TOWARD THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.  AIR
MASS IN THE WARM SECTOR IS DESTABILIZING RAPIDLY AS DEW POINTS
INCREASE NWD.  LOW LEVEL SHEAR/HELICITY WILL ALSO INCREASE THIS
AFTERNOON AS THE 50-60 KT LOW LEVEL JET SPREADS INTO IL/IN AND WRN
OH...ENHANCING POTENTIAL FOR TORNADIC SUPERCELLS...PRIMARILY AHEAD
OF THE COLD FRONT.  A SQUALL LINE WILL ALSO LIKELY DEVELOP ALONG
THE FRONT WITH AN ENHANCED THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS AS IT MOVES
EWD. 


AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES.  EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 23040.


...WEISS

414,0825 374,0864 374,0914 414,0881

Tornado Watches in Indiana, 2001Tornado Watches in Illinois, 2001Tornado Watches in Ohio, 2001Every tornado watch in 2001

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.