Tornado Watch 56

Issued

Mar 19, 2003, 8:00 AM CST (14:00 UTC)

Expired

Mar 19, 2003, 12:00 PM CST

In force

4 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

• Mesoscale Discussion 284Mar 19, 7:10 AM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 285Mar 19, 9:28 AM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 287Mar 19, 11:58 AM CST

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 191401
SEL6
SPC WW 191400
ALZ000-GAZ000-TNZ000-191800-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 56
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
800 AM CST WED MAR 19 2003

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

   NORTHERN ALABAMA                            
   EXTREME NORTHWEST GEORGIA                            
   MIDDLE AND EASTERN TENNESSEE                          

EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING FROM 800 AM UNTIL NOON CST.

TORNADOES...HAIL TO 1 INCH 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 EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA TO 50 MILES
NORTH NORTHWEST OF CROSSVILLE TENNESSEE.

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.


DISCUSSION...LOW-TOPPED LINE OF STORMS IS MOVING NEWD WITH EMBEDDED
SUPERCELLS EVIDENT ON RADAR.  VERY STRONG LOW LEVEL SHEAR/HELICITY
COUPLED WITH DESTABILIZATION AHEAD OF THE LINE INDICATES INCREASING
POTENTIAL FOR BOUNDARY LAYER-BASED SEVERE STORMS TO DEVELOP...WITH
THREAT FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND A FEW TORNADOES.


AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1 INCH...EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 350. 
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 21045.


...WEISS

340,0870 363,0861 363,0843 340,0851

Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 2003Tornado Watches in Alabama, 2003Tornado 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.