Tornado Watch 740

Issued

Nov 9, 2002, 6:20 PM CST (00:20 UTC)

Expired

Nov 10, 2002, 12:00 AM CST

In force

6 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 100020
SEL0  
SPC WW 100020
ARZ000-ILZ000-KYZ000-MOZ000-MSZ000-TNZ000-100600-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 740
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
620 PM CST SAT NOV 9 2002

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

   NORTHEAST ARKANSAS                           
   SOUTHERN ILLINOIS                           
   WESTERN KENTUCKY                           
   SOUTHEAST MISSOURI                           
   NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI                        
   WESTERN TENNESSEE                          

EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING FROM 620 PM UNTIL
MIDNIGHT CST.

TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 75 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MEMPHIS TENNESSEE TO 45 MILES
NORTH NORTHEAST OF PADUCAH KENTUCKY.

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...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY OVER EASTERN
AR AND SOUTHEAST MO DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS VIGOROUS UPPER
TROUGH APPROACHES.  EXTREMELY STRONG LOW LEVEL SHEAR PARAMETERS
/3KM HELICITY VALUES OF 500-800 M2/S2/ SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR
SUPERCELLS AND TORNADOES...DESPITE MARGINAL INSTABILITY.  DAMAGING
WINDS ALSO APPEAR LIKELY WITH STRONGER CELLS.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES.  EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.

...HART

373,0870 343,0891 343,0915 373,0894

Tornado Watches in Kentucky, 2002Tornado 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.