Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Watches in 2003

Tornado Watch 101

April 6, 20034 states

The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at Apr 6, 2003, 10:30 AM CDT for 4 states. It was in force for 6 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 6, 2003, 10:30 AM CDT (15:30 UTC)
Expired
Apr 6, 2003, 4:00 PM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
All 87 counties

Ashley County, AR, Bradley County, AR, Calhoun County, AR, Chicot County, AR, Columbia County, AR, Drew County, AR, Lafayette County, AR, Little River County, AR, Miller County, AR, Nevada County, AR, Ouachita County, AR, Union County, AR, Bienville Parish, LA, Bossier Parish, LA, Caddo Parish, LA, Caldwell Parish, LA, Catahoula Parish, LA, Claiborne Parish, LA, Concordia Parish, LA, De Soto Parish, LA, East Carroll Parish, LA, Franklin Parish, LA, Grant Parish, LA, Jackson Parish, LA, LaSalle Parish, LA, Lincoln Parish, LA, Madison Parish, LA, Morehouse Parish, LA, Natchitoches Parish, LA, Ouachita Parish, LA, Red River Parish, LA, Richland Parish, LA, Sabine Parish, LA, Tensas Parish, LA, Union Parish, LA, Webster Parish, LA, West Carroll Parish, LA, Winn Parish, LA, Adams County, MS, Attala County, MS, Carroll County, MS, Claiborne County, MS, Copiah County, MS, Covington County, MS, Franklin County, MS, Hinds County, MS, Holmes County, MS, Humphreys County, MS, Issaquena County, MS, Jefferson County, MS, Jefferson Davis County, MS, Lawrence County, MS, Leake County, MS, Leflore County, MS, Lincoln County, MS, Madison County, MS, Marion County, MS, Montgomery County, MS, Rankin County, MS, Scott County, MS, Sharkey County, MS, Simpson County, MS, Smith County, MS, Sunflower County, MS, Warren County, MS, Washington County, MS, Yazoo County, MS, Bowie County, TX, Camp County, TX, Cass County, TX, Cherokee County, TX, Franklin County, TX, Gregg County, TX, Harrison County, TX, Marion County, TX, Morris County, TX, Nacogdoches County, TX, Panola County, TX, Red River County, TX, Rusk County, TX, Sabine County, TX, San Augustine County, TX, Shelby County, TX, Smith County, TX, Titus County, TX, Upshur County, TX, Wood County, TX

Warnings issued inside it

41 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 6, 10:34 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANYazoo46 min
Apr 6, 10:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSHVOuachita18 min
Apr 6, 10:44 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANMadison, Richland41 min
Apr 6, 10:48 AM CDTTornado WarningJANIssaquena42 min
Apr 6, 10:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANMadison61 min
Apr 6, 10:59 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningJANEast Carroll2 hr
Apr 6, 11:02 AM CDTTornado WarningJANMadison43 min
Apr 6, 11:04 AM CDTTornado WarningJANRichland46 min
Apr 6, 11:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANEast Carroll28 min
Apr 6, 11:17 AM CDTTornado WarningJANSharkey43 min
Apr 6, 11:19 AM CDTTornado WarningJANSharkey41 min
Apr 6, 11:26 AM CDTTornado WarningJANIssaquena, Warren44 min
Apr 6, 11:30 AM CDTTornado WarningJANYazoo60 min
Apr 6, 11:33 AM CDTTornado WarningJANFranklin42 min
Apr 6, 11:55 AM CDTTornado WarningJANMadison60 min
Apr 6, 12:10 PM CDTTornado WarningJANHinds, Warren60 min
Apr 6, 12:16 PM CDTTornado WarningJANMadison59 min
Apr 6, 12:20 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningJANYazoo2 hr
Apr 6, 12:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningJANHinds, Madison, Warren3 hr
Apr 6, 12:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSHVHarrison53 min
Apr 6, 12:52 PM CDTTornado WarningSHVRusk38 min
Apr 6, 12:55 PM CDTTornado WarningJANMadison60 min
Apr 6, 12:57 PM CDTTornado WarningJANRankin43 min
Apr 6, 1:14 PM CDTTornado WarningJANMadison26 min
Apr 6, 1:17 PM CDTTornado WarningSHVPanola43 min
Apr 6, 1:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANHinds47 min
Apr 6, 1:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANLeake58 min
Apr 6, 1:32 PM CDTTornado WarningJANScott58 min
Apr 6, 1:41 PM CDTTornado WarningJANLeake44 min
Apr 6, 1:43 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningJANLeake, Rankin, Scott2 hr
Apr 6, 1:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANMadison, Rankin47 min
Apr 6, 1:53 PM CDTTornado WarningJANHinds47 min
Apr 6, 2:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLZKBradley41 min
Apr 6, 2:23 PM CDTTornado WarningJANRankin42 min
Apr 6, 3:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSHVUnion55 min
Apr 6, 3:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANScott45 min
Apr 6, 3:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSHVBienville56 min
Apr 6, 3:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANAshley60 min
Apr 6, 3:39 PM CDTTornado WarningSHVAngelina, Nacogdoches51 min
Apr 6, 3:57 PM CDTTornado WarningJANMorehouse43 min
Apr 6, 3:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSHVDe Soto47 min

Discussions around it

SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.

The nearest sounding before it

Shreveport, LA (KSHV), launched 12:00Z, 3.5 hours before the alert went out and 78 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Shreveport, LA at 12:00Z on 2003-04-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1292 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Shreveport, LA at 12:00Z on 2003-04-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 259 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1292 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-53 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
492 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
259 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
405 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.5
Supercell composite
20.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 061530
SEL1  
SPC WW 061530
ARZ000-LAZ000-MSZ000-OKZ000-TXZ000-062100-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 101
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1030 AM CDT SUN APR 6 2003

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

   SOUTHERN ARKANSAS                           
   NORTHERN LOUISIANA                          
   CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI                        
   EXTREME SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA                           
   NORTHEAST TEXAS                              

EFFECTIVE THIS SUNDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 1030 AM UNTIL 400
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 85 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES NORTH OF TYLER TEXAS TO 45 MILES EAST
NORTHEAST OF JACKSON 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...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 99.  WATCH NUMBER 99 WILL NOT BE IN
EFFECT AFTER 1030 AM CDT.  CONTINUE...WW 100...

DISCUSSION...CLUSTER OF SEVERE/SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS IS TRACKING
EASTWARD ACROSS THE MS RIVER INTO CENTRAL MS.  OTHER ACTIVITY IS
DEVELOPING OVER NORTHEAST TX.  VERY FAVORABLE VERTICAL SHEAR
PROFILES /3KM HELICITY OF 300-500 M2/S2/ AND STRONG INSTABILITY
/MUCAPE VALUES OF 2000-3000 J/KG/ WILL FAVOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SCATTERED TORNADIC SUPERCELLS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.  POTENTIAL
EXISTS FOR STRONG TORNADOES...AS WELL AS VERY LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.

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 550. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26035.

...HART

312,0892 311,0952 334,0952 334,0892

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 6, 7:38 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAshley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Columbia, Lafayette and 3 more97 min
Apr 6, 7:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCAshley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Columbia, Drew and 6 more5 hr
Apr 6, 8:56 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBaxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Cleburne, Conway and 21 more2 hr
Apr 6, 9:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCBaxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Conway, Crawford and 22 more5 hr
Apr 6, 10:00 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArkansas, Ashley, Chicot, Desha, Drew, Jefferson and 4 more2 hr
Apr 6, 10:20 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clark and 21 more55 min
Apr 6, 11:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCArkansas, Baxter, Cleburne, Cleveland, Craighead, Crittenden and 27 more5 hr
Apr 6, 12:27 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArkansas, Clark, Cleburne, Cleveland, Conway, Craighead and 46 more2 hr
Apr 6, 2:18 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBoone, Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Garland, Howard and 16 more57 min
Apr 6, 2:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCBaxter, Boone, Clark, Cleburne, Conway, Crawford and 35 more5 hr
Apr 6, 3:45 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCAshley, Chicot, Union5 hr
Apr 6, 5:35 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAshley, Chicot, Union115 min
Apr 6, 6:23 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAshley, Chicot, Union97 min
Apr 6, 12:03 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, De Soto and 14 more117 min
Apr 6, 3:26 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBienville, Caldwell, De Soto, Franklin, Grant, Jackson and 11 more2 hr
Apr 6, 6:50 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCAvoyelles, Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Evangeline and 11 more6 hr
Apr 6, 12:40 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAttala, Choctaw, Holmes, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake and 9 more2 hr
Apr 6, 1:35 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCChoctaw, Clarke, Jasper, Jones, Kemper, Lauderdale and 7 more5 hr
Apr 6, 2:56 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCKemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee and 2 more2 hr
Apr 5, 6:11 PM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBaylor, Briscoe, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Floyd and 9 more64 min
Apr 5, 6:35 PM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArcher, Clay, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Delta and 23 more115 min
Apr 5, 6:40 PM CSTTornado WatchSPCBriscoe, Childress, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Fisher and 16 more5 hr
Apr 5, 8:04 PM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArcher, Baylor, Clay, Collin, Cooke, Dallas and 25 more116 min
Apr 5, 9:20 PM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArcher, Camp, Clay, Collin, Cooke, Dallas and 31 more55 min
Apr 5, 9:35 PM CSTTornado WatchSPCArcher, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Clay, Collin and 38 more5 hr
Apr 5, 10:26 PM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBaylor, Childress, Cottle, Dickens, Fisher, Foard and 11 more64 min
Apr 5, 11:43 PM CSTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArcher, Camp, Clay, Collin, Cooke, Dallas and 31 more92 min
Apr 6, 3:13 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArcher, Baylor, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Clay and 39 more107 min
Apr 6, 3:39 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArcher, Baylor, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Clay and 39 more66 min
Apr 6, 4:50 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCArcher, Baylor, Brown, Callahan, Coke, Coleman and 27 more115 min
Apr 6, 5:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCWichita4 hr
Apr 6, 9:12 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAnderson, Bosque, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Collin and 41 more2 hr
Apr 6, 12:40 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCAnderson, Brazos, Burleson, Cherokee, Collin, Cooke and 33 more5 hr
Apr 6, 3:00 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAnderson, Brazos, Cherokee, Delta, Freestone, Grimes and 21 more90 min

Nearby

Tornado Watches in Mississippi, 2003Tornado Watches in Louisiana, 2003Tornado Watches in Texas, 2003Every tornado watch in 2003

Sources

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.