Tornado Watch 57

Issued

Mar 2, 2012, 9:54 AM CST (15:54 UTC)

Expired

Mar 2, 2012, 4:19 PM CST

In force

6 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Particularly dangerous situation

Yes

Largest hail expected

2.5 in

Strongest gust expected

60 kt

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 119 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:54 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

95%

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

80%

One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more

60%

Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports

95%

• Mesoscale Discussion 203Mar 2, 7:50 AM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 205Mar 2, 9:22 AM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 206Mar 2, 10:02 AM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 211Mar 2, 12:05 PM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 215Mar 2, 2:35 PM CST

791 
WWUS20 KWNS 021554
SEL7
SPC WW 021554
ILZ000-INZ000-KYZ000-MOZ000-030000-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 57
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
955 AM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

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

       CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
       CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN INDIANA
       WESTERN KENTUCKY
       SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY MORNING AND EVENING FROM 955 AM UNTIL 600
PM CST.

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

DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 2.5 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 90 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 50 MILES SOUTH OF CAPE
GIRARDEAU MISSOURI TO 25 MILES NORTH OF DANVILLE ILLINOIS.  FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE
UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU7).

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 55...WW 56...

DISCUSSION...A VOLATILE ENVIRONMENT IS DEVELOPING TODAY ACROSS
NWD-EXPANDING WARM SECTOR...FEATURING MLCAPE VALUES OF 1000-2500
J/KG...DEEP-LAYER SHEAR OF 50-60 KT AND EFFECTIVE SRH OF 300-600
M2/S2.  TSTMS DEVELOPING ALONG AND AHEAD OF COLD FRONT OVER SERN
MO/W-CNTRL IL ARE EXPECTED TO EVOLVE INTO INTENSE SUPERCELLS CAPABLE
OF LONG-TRACKED...SIGNIFICANT TORNADOES.  LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS ARE ALSO LIKELY.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 25045.


...MEAD

Tornado Watches in Illinois, 2012Tornado Watches in Indiana, 2012Tornado Watches in Kentucky, 2012Every tornado watch in 2012

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.