Tornado Watch 551

Issued

Dec 5, 2021, 8:59 PM CST (02:59 UTC)

Expired

Dec 6, 2021, 4:00 AM CST

In force

7 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Largest hail expected

1 in

Strongest gust expected

60 kt

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:59 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

10%

Ten or more severe wind reports

40%

One or more gusts of 65 knots or more

20%

Ten or more severe hail reports

20%

One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more

10%

Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports

70%

• Mesoscale Discussion 1960 Severe potential...watch possibleDec 5, 5:05 PM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 1961 Severe potential...watch likelyDec 5, 8:06 PM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 1963 Tornado watch 551Dec 5, 11:28 PM CST
• Mesoscale Discussion 1964 Tornado watch 551Dec 6, 2:47 AM CST

533 
WWUS20 KWNS 060257
SEL1  
SPC WW 060257
ILZ000-KYZ000-MOZ000-061000-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 551
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
900 PM CST Sun Dec 5 2021

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Tornado Watch for portions of 
  Southern Illinois
  Western Kentucky
  Southeast Missouri

* Effective this Sunday night and Monday morning from 900 PM
  until 400 AM CST.

* Primary threats include...
  A couple tornadoes possible
  Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
  Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible

SUMMARY...A loose clustering of storms/embedded supercells may
continue to pose a severe wind/hail and tornado risk late this
evening, with additional storms, mostly in the form of a convective
line, expected to move into the region through the early overnight.
Severe environment is supported by very strong shear/SRH and modest
instability.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 45 statute miles
north and south of a line from 40 miles west northwest of Poplar
Bluff MO to 30 miles south of Owensboro KY. For a complete depiction
of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
WOU1).

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 1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
storm motion vector 26035.

...Guyer

Tornado Watches in Kentucky, 2021Tornado Watches in Illinois, 2021Tornado Watches in Missouri, 2021Every tornado watch in 2021

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.