Tornado Watch 20

Issued

Feb 22, 2003, 10:35 AM CST (16:35 UTC)

Expired

Feb 22, 2003, 4:00 PM CST

In force

5 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

• Mesoscale Discussion 126Feb 22, 9:14 AM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 131Feb 22, 12:33 PM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 134Feb 22, 2:31 PM CST

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 221633
SEL0
SPC WW 221635
ALZ000-GAZ000-TNZ000-222200-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 20
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1035 AM CST SAT FEB 22 2003

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

   NORTHEAST ALABAMA                            
   NORTHWEST GEORGIA                            
   MIDDLE AND EASTERN TENNESSEE                          

EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 1035 AM UNTIL
400 PM 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 65 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 5 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF ROME GEORGIA TO 45 MILES
NORTH OF CROSSVILLE 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 18...WW 19...

DISCUSSION...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING JUST AHEAD OF DEEPENING
SURFACE LOW WHERE AIRMASS HAS DESTABILIZED IN WAKE OF EARLIER
SQUALL LINE.  VERY STRONG DEEP LAYER SHEAR PROFILES ACROSS WATCH
AREA COUPLED WITH CAPES TO 1000 J/KG SUPPORTS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. 
IN ADDITION TO WIND DAMAGE...ISOLATED TORNADOS ARE LIKELY AS STORMS
INTENSIFY AND MOVE RAPDILY NE.


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 450. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 23050.


...HALES

341,0862 363,0861 363,0835 341,0840

Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 2003Tornado Watches in Georgia, 2003Tornado Watches in Alabama, 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.