Tornado Watch 255

Issued

May 5, 2003, 2:35 PM CDT (19:35 UTC)

Expired

May 5, 2003, 10:00 PM CDT

In force

7 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

• Mesoscale Discussion 762May 5, 10:38 AM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 763May 5, 11:06 AM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 765May 5, 12:52 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 767May 5, 2:13 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 771May 5, 5:18 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 772May 5, 5:40 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 775May 5, 7:53 PM CDT

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 051935
SEL5  
SPC WW 051935
ALZ000-MSZ000-TNZ000-060300-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 255 
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 
235 PM CDT MON MAY 5 2003

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

       NORTHWESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA
       NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI
       WESTERN AND MIDDLE TENNESSEE

EFFECTIVE THIS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 235 PM UNTIL 1000
PM CDT.

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

DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE
POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 125 STATUTE MILES EAST AND
WEST OF A LINE FROM CLARKSVILLE TENNESSEE TO 55 MILES SOUTH
SOUTHWEST OF COLUMBUS 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 TORNADO
WATCH NUMBER 251. WATCH NUMBER 251 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 235
PM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 251...WW 252...WW 253...WW 254...


DISCUSSION...EXTREME CAPE/SHEAR VALUES WILL PERSIST ACROSS THIS
REGION WELL INTO THE EVENING...WITH MLCAPES IN EXCESS OF 2500 J/KG
AND 0-6 KM SHEAR OF 50-60 KT.  VORT MAX/SHORTWAVE TROUGH NOW LIFTING
OUT OF NERN TX WILL MAINTAIN TORNADIC SUPERCELL THREAT ACROSS
WW...WITH THREAT INCREASING AS COMPARED TO EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26045.


...EVANS

363,0851 325,0863 325,0905 363,0894

Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 2003Tornado Watches in Mississippi, 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.