Tornado Watch 260

Issued

May 5, 2003, 9:05 PM CDT (02:05 UTC)

Expired

May 6, 2003, 4:00 AM CDT

In force

7 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

• Mesoscale Discussion 772May 5, 5:40 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 775May 5, 7:53 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 777May 5, 10:27 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 779May 6, 1:26 AM CDT

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 060201
SEL0  
SPC WW 060205
ALZ000-MSZ000-060900-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 260 
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 
905 PM CDT MON MAY 5 2003

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

       NORTHERN ALABAMA
       NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI

EFFECTIVE THIS MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING FROM 905 PM UNTIL
400 AM CDT.

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 50 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 20 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF GREENVILLE
MISSISSIPPI TO 35 MILES EAST OF ANNISTON ALABAMA.

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 255...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 256. WATCH NUMBER 255 256
WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 905 PM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 259...


DISCUSSION...CLUSTERS OF SUPERCELLS AND EMBEDDED BOW ECHOES WILL
MOVE EWD ALONG AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY ACROSS NRN MS/AL THROUGH THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS.  A SWLY LOW-LEVEL JET OF 40-50 KT FEEDING 70
DEW POINTS AND MODERATE INSTABILITY INTO THE BOUNDARY WILL HELP
MAINTAIN THE SEVERE STORMS...AND CONTRIBUTE TO ADDITIONAL
DEVELOPMENT.  EXPECT THE THREAT AREA TO SHIFT EWD FROM MS TO AL
OVERNIGHT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A MID-UPPER SPEED MAX MOVING EWD FROM
AR.

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 27045.


...THOMPSON

342,0910 341,0851 325,0851 330,0910

Tornado Watches in Mississippi, 2003Tornado Watches in Alabama, 2003Tornado Watches in Arkansas, 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.