Tornado Watch 160

Issued

Apr 24, 2003, 6:35 PM CDT (23:35 UTC)

Expired

Apr 25, 2003, 12:00 AM CDT

In force

5 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

• Mesoscale Discussion 562Apr 24, 2:46 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 564Apr 24, 3:28 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 567Apr 24, 5:52 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 568Apr 24, 6:49 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 569Apr 24, 9:03 PM CDT

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 242337
SEL0  
SPC WW 242335
ARZ000-MOZ000-MSZ000-TNZ000-250500-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 160 
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 
635 PM CDT THU APR 24 2003

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

       CENTRAL AND EASTERN ARKANSAS
       SOUTHERN MISSOURI
       NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI
       EXTREME WESTERN TENNESSEE

EFFECTIVE THIS THURSDAY NIGHT FROM 635 PM UNTIL 
MIDNIGHT CDT.

...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...

DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE 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 80 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 45 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF WEST PLAINS MISSOURI TO
50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PINE BLUFF ARKANSAS.

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 TORNADO
WATCH NUMBER 156...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 159. WATCH NUMBER
156...159... WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 635 PM CDT. CONTINUE...WW
157...WW 158...


DISCUSSION...SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING
ACROSS CENTRAL PARTS OF AR INTO SRN MO AHEAD OF STRONG UPPER LOW
MOVING EWD ACROSS ERN KS.  LOW LEVEL THERMAL AND MOISTURE AXES INTO
AR WITH DEW POINTS IN THE 65-70 RANGE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO UNSTABLE
ENVIRONMENT WITH MLCAPE TO 2500 J/KG.  STRONG LOW LEVEL AND DEEP
LAYER SHEAR INDICATES SUPERCELL POTENTIAL AND THREAT FOR
TORNADOES...INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERAL STRONG TORNADOES. 
AS STORMS MOVE PROGRESSIVELY FARTHER NEWD ACROSS WARM FRONT AND
BECOME INCREASINGLY  ELEVATED...TORNADO THREAT FOR THESE STORMS WILL
GRADUALLY DIMINISH...BUT WITH CONTINUED THREAT FOR LARGE HAIL.

AVIATION...TORDADOES 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 24040.


...WEISS

372,0900 333,0895 333,0924 372,0930

Tornado Watches in Arkansas, 2003Tornado Watches in Missouri, 2003Tornado Watches in Mississippi, 2003Every tornado 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.