Tornado Watch 150

Issued

Apr 16, 2011, 12:02 PM EDT (16:02 UTC)

Expired

Apr 16, 2011, 11:00 PM EDT

In force

11 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Particularly dangerous situation

Yes

Largest hail expected

2 in

Strongest gust expected

60 kt

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:05 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.

Two or more tornadoes

90%

One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes

80%

Ten or more severe wind reports

70%

One or more gusts of 65 knots or more

60%

Ten or more severe hail reports

60%

One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more

50%

Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports

95%

• Mesoscale Discussion 452Apr 16, 10:39 AM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 454Apr 16, 12:16 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 455Apr 16, 12:52 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 458Apr 16, 2:28 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 460Apr 16, 4:49 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 461Apr 16, 6:38 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 462Apr 16, 6:59 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 463Apr 16, 8:12 PM EDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 464Apr 16, 8:52 PM EDT

306 
WWUS20 KWNS 161609
SEL0
SPC WW 161609
NCZ000-SCZ000-VAZ000-CWZ000-170100-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 150
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1205 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

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

       CENTRAL AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
       CENTRAL AND EASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA
       SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
       COASTAL WATERS

EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 1205 PM UNTIL
900 PM EDT.

...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...

DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE 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 APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 95 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF
CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA TO 60 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF SOUTH
HILL VIRGINIA.  FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE
ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU0).

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 149...

DISCUSSION...TSTMS WILL CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY TODAY ALONG AND AHEAD
OF COLD FRONT...AND THE S OF WARM FRONT RETREATING NWD THROUGH NC
INTO VA.  AMBIENT WARM SECTOR IS MOIST AND BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS WILL
SUPPORT LOCALLY STRONG DIABATIC HEATING WITH MLCAPE VALUES
INCREASING TO 1000-1500 J/KG.  THIS INSTABILITY COUPLED WITH
EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR OF 50-60 KT...EFFECTIVE SRH VALUES OF 300-450+
M2/S2 AND ANTICIPATED DISCRETE STORM MODES SUGGESTS A HIGH
LIKELIHOOD OF LONG-LIVED SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF SIGNIFICANT
TORNADOES.

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
450. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24040.


...MEAD

Tornado Watches in Virginia, 2011Tornado Watches in North Carolina, 2011Tornado Watches in South Carolina, 2011Every tornado watch in 2011

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.