Tornado Watch 449

Issued

Dec 31, 2018, 11:47 AM CST (17:47 UTC)

Expired

Dec 31, 2018, 5:01 PM CST

In force

5 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Largest hail expected

0.5 in

Strongest gust expected

60 kt

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 86 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:46 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

30%

One or more gusts of 65 knots or more

10%

Ten or more severe hail reports

5%

One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more

5%

Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports

40%

• Mesoscale Discussion 1747Dec 31, 11:22 AM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 1749Dec 31, 1:54 PM CST

312 
WWUS20 KWNS 311745
SEL9  
SPC WW 311745
ALZ000-MSZ000-TNZ000-010100-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 449
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1145 AM CST Mon Dec 31 2018

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Tornado Watch for portions of 
  Western and northern Alabama
  Central and Eastern Mississippi
  Western and Middle Tennessee

* Effective this Monday morning and evening from 1145 AM until
  700 PM CST.

* Primary threats include...
  A couple tornadoes possible
  Isolated damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible

SUMMARY...An increasingly well-organized squall line is expected to
race east-northeastward across parts of the region, with other
potentially more isolated storms ahead of the line across
Mississippi into western/northern Alabama. Although the air mass is
not overly unstable, very strong low-level/deep-layer winds will
support bowing segments along with embedded mesovortices capable of
wind damage and some tornado risk. The overall severe risk should
wane by early evening in most areas.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
east and west of a line from 35 miles north northwest of Nashville
TN to 65 miles south southeast of Jackson MS. 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.

&&

AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 0.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 450. Mean
storm motion vector 23040.

...Guyer

Tornado Watches in Mississippi, 2018Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 2018Tornado Watches in Alabama, 2018Every tornado watch in 2018

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.