Tornado Watch 249

Issued

May 19, 2017, 3:26 PM CDT (20:26 UTC)

Expired

May 20, 2017, 2:00 AM CDT

In force

11 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Largest hail expected

2.5 in

Strongest gust expected

60 kt

The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 124 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:26 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

40%

One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes

20%

Ten or more severe wind reports

60%

One or more gusts of 65 knots or more

10%

Ten or more severe hail reports

50%

One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more

30%

Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports

95%

• Mesoscale Discussion 781May 19, 2:13 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 787May 19, 5:50 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 790May 19, 6:56 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 793May 19, 9:16 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 795May 19, 11:05 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 796May 19, 11:51 PM CDT

780 
WWUS20 KWNS 192025
SEL9  
SPC WW 192025
ARZ000-OKZ000-TXZ000-200400-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 249
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
325 PM CDT Fri May 19 2017

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Tornado Watch for portions of 
  northwest Arkansas
  southern and eastern Oklahoma
  northwest and north central Texas

* Effective this Friday afternoon and evening from 325 PM until
  1100 PM CDT.

* Primary threats include...
  A couple tornadoes possible
  Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
  Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2.5
    inches in diameter possible

SUMMARY...Increasing thunderstorm development is expected along an
outflow boundary across the region through the late afternoon and
evening.  Initial storm development may include supercells, with a
risk for severe hail and perhaps a couple of tornadoes, before
activity consolidates into an upscale growing cluster of storms with
increasing potential for damaging wind gusts this evening.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 70 statute miles
north and south of a line from 35 miles west of Stephenville TX to
Fort Smith AR. For a complete depiction of the watch see the
associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 246...WW 247...WW 248...

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 23035.

...Kerr

Tornado Watches in Texas, 2017Tornado Watches in Oklahoma, 2017Every tornado watch in 2017

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.