Tornado Watch 259

Issued

May 5, 2003, 9:30 PM EDT (01:30 UTC)

Expired

May 6, 2003, 5:00 AM EDT

In force

8 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 41 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:31 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

• Mesoscale Discussion 772May 5, 6:40 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 775May 5, 8:53 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 777May 5, 11:27 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 780May 6, 2:53 AM EDT

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 060129
SEL9  
SPC WW 060130
GAZ000-060900-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 259 
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 
930 PM EDT MON MAY 5 2003

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

       NORTHERN AND CENTRAL GEORGIA

EFFECTIVE THIS MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING FROM 930 PM UNTIL
500 AM EDT.

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 55 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 35 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF LA GRANGE GEORGIA
TO 65 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ATHENS GEORGIA.

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 255...WW 256...


DISCUSSION...SEVERAL CLUSTERS OF SUPERCELLS AND BOW ECHOES ACROSS
AL/MS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EWD ALONG AN E-W OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THAT
IS LOCATED FROM S OF CBM TO NEAR BHM TO N OF MCN.  AN INFLUX OF
BOUNDARY LAYER DEW POINTS NEAR 70 ON A 40-50 KT SWLY LOW-LEVEL JET
WILL HELP MAINTAIN THE SEVERE STORM THREAT ACROSS GA THROUGH THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS.  THE MAIN SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BECOME DAMAGING
WINDS WITH EMBEDDED BOW ECHOES...BUT MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER AND STRONG
LOW-LEVEL MAY ALSO SUPPORT A COUPLE OF TORNADOES WITH EMBEDDED BOWS
OR SUPERCELLS.

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 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.


...THOMPSON

341,0851 340,0823 322,0823 323,0851

Tornado Watches in Georgia, 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.