Tornado Watch 399

Issued

May 16, 2003, 9:35 PM CDT (02:35 UTC)

Expired

May 17, 2003, 4:00 AM CDT

In force

6 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

• Mesoscale Discussion 1033May 16, 5:59 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1035May 16, 6:39 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1036May 16, 8:14 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1037May 16, 8:38 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1039May 16, 11:41 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 1041May 17, 1:54 AM CDT

094 
WWUS20 KWNS 170240
SEL9  
SPC WW 170235
ARZ000-MSZ000-TNZ000-170900-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 399 
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 
935 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003

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

       EASTERN ARKANSAS
       NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI
       SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE

EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING FROM 935 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 80 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF JACKSON TENNESSEE TO 40 MILES
SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF GREENVILLE 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 395. WATCH NUMBER 395 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 935
PM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 397...WW 398...


DISCUSSION...BROKEN SQUALL LINE CONTINUES MOVING ENEWD ACROSS AR
THIS EVENING.	THOUGH WIND DAMAGE WILL BE PRIMARY SEVERE THREAT FOR
SEVERAL MORE HOURS AS LINE PROGRESS EAST ACROSS THE MS RIVER
VALLEY...ORGANIZED NATURE OF THE LINE AND STRONG LOW LEVEL SHEAR
SUGGESTS ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE.

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 25035.


...EVANS

355,0874 325,0892 325,0920 355,0903

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