Tornado Watch 55

Issued

Mar 18, 2003, 10:25 PM CST (04:25 UTC)

Expired

Mar 19, 2003, 5:00 AM CST

In force

7 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

• Mesoscale Discussion 279Mar 18, 6:39 PM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 280Mar 18, 9:10 PM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 281Mar 18, 11:50 PM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 283Mar 19, 2:02 AM CST

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 190420
SEL5
SPC WW 190425
ALZ000-FLZ000-MSZ000-191100-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 55
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1025 PM CST TUE MAR 18 2003

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

   WESTERN ALABAMA                            
   EXTREME WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE                            
   EASTERN MISSISSIPPI                        

EFFECTIVE THIS TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING FROM 1025 PM
UNTIL 500 AM 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 85 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF MOBILE ALABAMA TO 25
MILES NORTHWEST OF MUSCLE SHOALS 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 53...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 54.  WATCH NUMBER 53...54 WILL NOT
BE IN EFFECT AFTER 1025 PM CST.

DISCUSSION...SQUALL LINE CONTINUES TO TRACK EASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL
MS.  WIND FIELDS ARE STEADILY INCREASING OVER THIS REGION...WITH
THE THREAT OF DAMAGING WINDS IN BOW/LEWP SEGMENTS.  LOW LEVEL
VERTICAL SHEAR IS ALSO VERY STRONG...SUGGESTING A CONTINUED THREAT
OF ISOLATED TORNADOES IN ROTATING STORMS AHEAD OF OR EMBEDDED IN
LINE.

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.


...HART

350,0862 303,0871 303,0900 350,0892

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