Severe Thunderstorm Watch 71

Issued

Mar 20, 2003, 9:00 PM EST (02:00 UTC)

Expired

Mar 21, 2003, 3:00 AM EST

In force

6 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

• Mesoscale Discussion 314Mar 20, 6:57 PM EST
• Mesoscale Discussion 316Mar 21, 2:16 AM EST

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 210158
SEL1
SPC WW 210200
FLZ000-GAZ000-SCZ000-CWZ000-210800-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 71
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
900 PM EST THU MAR 20 2003

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

   THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE                            
   SOUTHERN AND EASTERN GEORGIA                            
   SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA                     
   COASTAL WATERS                     

EFFECTIVE THIS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING FROM 900 PM UNTIL
300 AM EST.

HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 60
MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 80 STATUTE MILES
EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF APALACHICOLA
FLORIDA TO 20 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR 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.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES.

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REPLACES
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 70.  WATCH NUMBER 70 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT
AFTER 900 PM EST.

DISCUSSION...WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS/SUPERCELLS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN ZONE OF WEAK LOW LEVEL CONFLUENCE ALONG DRY
LINE OVER SRN/ERN GA AND THE FL PANHANDLE.  LOW LEVEL FLOW 
EXPECTED TO REMAIN WEAK AND VEERED COMPARED TO LAST EVENING.  BUT
STRENGTH OF DEEP SHEAR /ON THE ORDER OF 50 KTS/...STEEP MID LEVEL
LAPSE RATES AND QUALITY OF BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE INFLOW ALL
SUGGEST A CONTINUED THREAT FOR HAIL/LOCALIZED DAMAGING WINDS AND
PERHAPS AN ISOLATED TORNADO THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY.  HIGH LEVEL
IMPULSE NOW ENTERING THE WRN GULF OF MEX WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED
FOR POSSIBLE INFLUENCE ON WW REGION LATER IN PERIOD...ALTHOUGH ATTM
BELIEVE THAT ANY SUCH INFLUENCE WILL OCCUR BEYOND WW EXPIRATION AT
08Z FRIDAY.

AVIATION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT
TO 2 INCHES.  EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 50
KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.  MEAN STORM
MOTION VECTOR 22045.

...CORFIDI

330,0784 293,0832 293,0860 330,0813

Severe Thunderstorm Watches in Georgia, 2003Severe Thunderstorm Watches in Florida, 2003Severe Thunderstorm Watches in South Carolina, 2003Every severe thunderstorm watch in 2003

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.