Tornado Watch 49

Issued

Mar 29, 2002, 5:00 PM CST (23:00 UTC)

Expired

Mar 29, 2002, 10:00 PM CST

In force

5 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Counties Craighead County, AR, Crittenden County, AR, Cross County, AR, Mississippi County, AR, Poinsett County, AR, Carroll County, TN, Chester County, TN, Crockett County, TN, Decatur County, TN, Fayette County, TN, Gibson County, TN, Hardeman County, TN, Hardin County, TN, Haywood County, TN, Henderson County, TN, Lauderdale County, TN, Madison County, TN, McNairy County, TN, Shelby County, TN, Tipton County, TN

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 14 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:00 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 292302
SEL9  
SPC WW 292257
ARZ000-TNZ000-300400-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 49
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
457 PM CST FRI MAR 29 2002

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

   NORTHEAST ARKANSAS                           
   SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE                          

EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 500 PM UNTIL 1000
PM CST.

TORNADOES...HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 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 25 MILES EAST OF MEMPHIS TENNESSEE TO DYERSBURG
TENNESSEE.

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 47...WW 48...

DISCUSSION...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHEAST AR ARE EXPECTED
TO TRACK EASTWARD INTO WESTERN TN DURING THE EVENING HOURS.  HIGH
CAPE VALUES AND STEEP LAPSE RATES SUGGEST THAT LARGE HAIL WILL BE
LIKELY IN STRONGER CELLS...AS WELL AS AN INCREASING THREAT OF
DAMAGING WINDS WITH TIME.  LOW LEVEL VERTICAL SHEAR PROFILES ARE
SUFFICIENT FOR THREAT OF ISOLATED TORNADOES AS WELL.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES.  EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 28035.


...HART

350,0905 355,0904 355,0875 350,0880

WWUS20 KWNS 292302
SEL9  
SPC WW 292257
ARZ000-TNZ000-300400-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 49
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
457 PM CST FRI MAR 29 2002

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

   NORTHEAST ARKANSAS                           
   SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE                          

EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 500 PM UNTIL 1000
PM CST.

TORNADOES...HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 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 25 MILES EAST OF MEMPHIS TENNESSEE TO DYERSBURG
TENNESSEE.

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 47...WW 48...

DISCUSSION...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHEAST AR ARE EXPECTED
TO TRACK EASTWARD INTO WESTERN TN DURING THE EVENING HOURS.  HIGH
CAPE VALUES AND STEEP LAPSE RATES SUGGEST THAT LARGE HAIL WILL BE
LIKELY IN STRONGER CELLS...AS WELL AS AN INCREASING THREAT OF
DAMAGING WINDS WITH TIME.  LOW LEVEL VERTICAL SHEAR PROFILES ARE
SUFFICIENT FOR THREAT OF ISOLATED TORNADOES AS WELL.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES.  EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 28035.


...HART

350,0905 355,0904 355,0875 350,0880

Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 2002Tornado Watches in Arkansas, 2002Every tornado watch in 2002

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.