Tornado Watch 59

Issued

Mar 27, 2021, 1:51 PM CDT (18:51 UTC)

Expired

Mar 27, 2021, 9:00 PM CDT

In force

7 hr

Issued by

the Storm Prediction Center

Largest hail expected

3 in

Strongest gust expected

65 kt

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 137 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:52 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

80%

One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes

60%

Ten or more severe wind reports

70%

One or more gusts of 65 knots or more

70%

Ten or more severe hail reports

70%

One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more

60%

Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports

95%

• Mesoscale Discussion 278 Severe potential...tornado watch likelyMar 27, 11:55 AM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 282 Tornado watch 59Mar 27, 3:42 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 287 Tornado watch 59...60Mar 27, 6:42 PM CDT
• Mesoscale Discussion 291 Tornado watch 59Mar 27, 8:42 PM CDT

237 
WWUS20 KWNS 271849
SEL9  
SPC WW 271849
ALZ000-ARZ000-MSZ000-TNZ000-280200-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 59
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
145 PM CDT Sat Mar 27 2021

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Tornado Watch for portions of 
  Extreme northern Alabama
  Extreme east central Arkansas
  Northern Mississippi
  Southern parts of western and middle Tennessee

* Effective this Saturday afternoon and evening from 145 PM until
  900 PM CDT.

* Primary threats include...
  Several tornadoes and a couple intense tornadoes likely
  Scattered damaging winds and isolated significant gusts to 75
    mph likely
  Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 3
    inches in diameter likely

SUMMARY...Severe storm development is expected by mid afternoon and
storms will persist well into this evening.  The storm environment
favors supercells capable of producing a couple of strong tornadoes
and very large hail near the size of baseballs.  As storms cluster
more into the evening, the threat for damaging winds will increase,
including the potential for hurricane force gusts.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 40 statute miles
north and south of a line from 105 miles east northeast of Muscle
Shoals AL to 60 miles west of Memphis TN. 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 58...

AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 65 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean
storm motion vector 24030.

...Thompson

Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 2021Tornado Watches in Mississippi, 2021Tornado Watches in Arkansas, 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.