Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, April 19, 2015

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
430 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS A MAJOR CONCERN NORTHWEST OF THE
NATCHEZ TRACE CORRIDOR THIS EVENING...

.DISCUSSION...THE FORECAST IS REMAINS ON TRACK FOR THIS EVENING. DRY
WEATHER CURRENTLY PREVAILS ACROSS THE REGION AS A DISTURBANCE
PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH AL PULLS AWAY AND A LARGER
SYNOPTIC UPPER LEVEL TROUGH (AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE PRE-FRONTAL
TROUGH) APPROACHES THE ARKLATEX AND SABINE RIVER. 18Z SOUNDINGS AT
LZK/SHV/JAN INDICATE THE ELEVATED MIXED LAYER (EML) IS ADVECTING
EAST IN ADVANCE OF SAID TROUGH IN THE PLAINS...LENDING A HIGH AMOUNT
OF POTENTIAL INSTABILITY TO THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS AN INCREASING
AMOUNT OF THE LOWER MS VALLEY. SHALLOW MOISTURE DEPTH AND THERMAL
MID LAYER CAPPING UNDERNEATH THESE HIGH LAPSE RATES ALOFT (IE...A
LOADED GUN TYPE ENVIRONMENT) WILL REQUIRE NON-NEGLIGIBLE FORCING TO
TRIGGER THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH IS WHY IT IS TOTALLY DRY ACROSS OUR
REGION AT 4 PM. HOWEVER...A GLANCE BACK TO THE PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH (A
SOURCE OF CONSOLIDATED LIFT) REVEALS VIGOROUS CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT
IN THE PAST HOUR OR TWO. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD INCREASE IN COVERAGE
TO OUR WEST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON BEFORE SLIDING
EAST INTO AREAS NORTHWEST OF THE NATCHEZ TRACE CORRIDOR BEFORE 10 PM
(POSSIBLY ENTERING ASHLEY CO AR AND MOREHOUSE PARISH BY 7 PM). ML
CAPE VALUES RANGING FROM 1500-2500 J/KG...0-3 KM SRH VALUES RANGING
FROM 200-300 M2/S2...AND 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR VALUES OF AROUND 40 KTS
SUGGEST A MIXED MODE OF GUSTY LINE SEGMENTS AND SUPERCELLS IN
WESTERN ZONES. PARTICULARLY WITH SUPERCELLS COMING IN FROM THE WEST
THE POTENTIAL WILL EXIST FOR LARGE HAIL OVER GOLF BALL SIZE WHILE
ANY BOWING LINE SEGMENTS COULD BE CAPABLE OF WINDS TO 70 MPH OR MORE
(AND WE CANNOT RULE OUT A TORNADO SPINNING UP IN ASSOCIATION WITH
QLCS ACTIVITY).

AS CONVECTION PUSHES TOWARD THE NATCHEZ TRACE CORRIDOR IN THE LATE
EVENING TO NEAR MIDNIGHT INSTABILITY WILL BE GRADUALLY WANING AND
MOST HIRES MODEL SOLUTIONS SUGGEST STORMS MAY HAVE A HARD TIME
HOLDING TOGETHER WITH ANY VIGOR SOUTHEAST OF THE NATCHEZ TRACE. THUS
THE ADVERTISED RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL DECREASING
SUBSTANTIALLY INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE CWA LATER IN THE
EVENING LOOKS VERY ACCURATE.

EXPECT ALL STORMS TO BE WEAK AT BEST (OR HAVE EXITED TO THE EAST) BY
AROUND 3 AM. SOME SHOWERS COULD CONTINUE IN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
EASTERN MS UNTIL DAYBREAK...OR MAYBE EVEN A BIT BEYOND THAT NEAR THE
GOLDEN TRIANGLE. BUT...ALAS...BY MIDDAY IN ALL AREAS IT IS A GOOD
BET RAIN AND STORMS WILL BE OUT OF THE FORECAST PICTURE UNTIL AT
LEAST WEDNESDAY. THE AIRMASS COMING IN THE WAKE OF TONIGHTS STORMS
WILL BE NOTICEABLY COOLER AND LESS HUMID...BUT FORTUNATELY THERE IS
NO RISK FOR ANY FROST TO HAMPER GROWING TENDER VEGETATION.

BUT GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END BY WEDNESDAY (BUT MAYBE WAITING
UNTIL THURSDAY IF WE ARE LUCKY) AS A RATHER ACTIVE NORTHWEST FLOW
PATTERN WILL DEVELOP AND THE BAROCLINIC ZONE PREVIOUSLY TO OUR SOUTH
WILL DRAPE ACROSS THE REGION FOR SEVERAL DAYS. IN THE SPRING TIME
AROUND HERE THIS IS A RECIPE FOR REPEATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHOWERS
AND STORMS. THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME RISK OF POTENT STORMS AND
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IN THIS SORT OF PATTERN AND WE WILL HAVE TO
MONITOR FOR THIS POTENTIAL CLOSELY OVER THE NEXT HANDFUL OF DAYS.
FORTUNATELY...CURRENT MODEL CONSENSUS SUGGESTS THE CRUX OF THE
STORMY PATTERN WILL BE FOCUSED FURTHER BACK WEST TOWARD THE ARKLATEX
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ALTHOUGH THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE A CHANCE
FOR SOME HAZARDOUS IMPACT IN OUR REGION BY THE END OF THE WEEK. FOR
NOW (AND GIVEN UNCERTAINTIES) THERE IS STILL TIME TO REFINE THINKING
BEFORE OFFICIALLY ADVERTISING ANYTHING IN THE HWO AND CREATING
DEDICATED GRAPHICS. /BB/

&&

.AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL ACROSS TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON.
EXPECT THESE CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON
HOURS...BUT SHRA/TSRA WILL BE POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN BY EARLY EVENING.
EXPECT THE STORMS TO DEVELOP WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND
EFFECT GLH/GWO BY EARLY EVENING AND SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE REMAINING
SITES LATER IN THE EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. ALONG WITH THE
SHRA/TSRA...MVFR CEILINGS WILL RETURN TO MOST SITES AFTER 06-07Z.
WINDS TODAY WILL BE SOUTHWESTERLY AROUND 10-15KTS AND GUSTY...BUT AS
A FRONT PASSES THROUGH LATER TONIGHT...WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHERLY
IN ITS WAKE. /15/

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
JACKSON       61  74  48  75 /  51   6   0   4
MERIDIAN      62  75  47  75 /  40  10   0   4
VICKSBURG     58  73  48  76 /  61   4   0   6
HATTIESBURG   65  80  52  79 /  24   8   0   3
NATCHEZ       59  74  49  76 /  46   3   0   5
GREENVILLE    57  72  48  73 /  73   6   0   9
GREENWOOD     58  72  46  74 /  72   9   0   7

&&

.JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MS...NONE.
LA...NONE.
AR...NONE.
&&

BB/15

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
707 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>025-MSZ018-019-025-026-034-035-
040-041-210015-
ASHLEY-CHICOT-MOREHOUSE-WEST CARROLL-EAST CARROLL-RICHLAND-
MADISON-FRANKLIN-CATAHOULA-TENSAS-BOLIVAR-SUNFLOWER-LEFLORE-
GRENADA-WASHINGTON-HUMPHREYS-ISSAQUENA-SHARKEY-
707 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
ARKANSAS...NORTHEAST LOUISIANA...CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...NORTH
CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST CENTRAL
MISSISSIPPI.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND MONDAY

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
THREAT...SIGNIFICANT
TIMING...THIS EVENING

THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 75 MPH. A
TORNADO OR TWO CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

(WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/GRAPHICAST.PHP?SITE=JAN&GC=1)

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER
OPERATIONS MAY BE NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE REGION TONIGHT.

LAZ026-MSZ027>033-036>039-042>045-047>049-053-054-059>061-210015-
CONCORDIA-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-WEBSTER-CLAY-LOWNDES-CHOCTAW-
OKTIBBEHA-HOLMES-ATTALA-WINSTON-NOXUBEE-YAZOO-MADISON-LEAKE-
NESHOBA-WARREN-HINDS-RANKIN-CLAIBORNE-COPIAH-JEFFERSON-ADAMS-
FRANKLIN-
707 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
LOUISIANA...CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...NORTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...
NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...AND SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND MONDAY

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
THREAT...ELEVATED
TIMING...THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT

THERE IS AN ELEVATED THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS...ALONG WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 60
MPH OR GREATER. THIS COMES AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION.

(WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/GRAPHICAST.PHP?SITE=JAN&GC=1)

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER
OPERATIONS MAY BE NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE REGION TONIGHT.

MSZ046-050>052-055>058-062>066-072>074-210015-
KEMPER-SCOTT-NEWTON-LAUDERDALE-SIMPSON-SMITH-JASPER-CLARKE-
LINCOLN-LAWRENCE-JEFFERSON DAVIS-COVINGTON-JONES-MARION-LAMAR-
FORREST-
707 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
MISSISSIPPI...EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...SOUTH CENTRAL
MISSISSIPPI...AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND MONDAY

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
THREAT...LIMITED
TIMING...TONIGHT

THERE IS A LIMITED THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS THIS EVENING. THESE
STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS AND
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH.

(WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/GRAPHICAST.PHP?SITE=JAN&GC=1)

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER
OPERATIONS MAY BE NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE REGION TONIGHT.

28

&&

...HAZARD LEGEND...

*SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS*
EXTREME...CONFIDENT IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH WIND GUSTS OF
 75 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR 2 INCH DIAMETER OR LARGER HAIL.
SIGNIFICANT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE WITH WIND GUSTS OF
 75 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR 2 INCH DIAMETER OR LARGER HAIL.
ELEVATED...CONFIDENT IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH WINDS GUSTS OF
 60 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR 1 INCH DIAMETER OR LARGER HAIL.
LIMITED...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE WITH WIND GUSTS OF 60
 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR 1 INCH DIAMETER OR LARGER HAIL.

...USEFUL WEATHER WEB PAGES (URLS)...

NWS JAN HOME PAGE...
   WWW.WEATHER.GOV/JAN
STAY AWARE, STAY SAFE NWS JAN BRIEFING PAGE...
   WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAN/?N=SAFE
FIND NWS JAN ON FACEBOOK...
   WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSJACKSONMS
FOLLOW NWS JAN ON TWITTER...
   @NWSJACKSONMS

...ADDITIONAL URLS FOR SEVERE WEATHER ISSUES...

STORM PREDICTION CENTER (SPC)...
   WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/
SPC...MESO ANALYSIS...
   WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/EXPER/MESOANALYSIS/NEW/#
SPC...DAY 1 THROUGH 3 OUTLOOKS...
   WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/PRODUCTS/OUTLOOK/
SPC...STORM REPORTS...
   WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/CLIMO/
NWS JAN CURRENT SVR/TOR WATCHES...
   WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/RTIMAGES/JAN/WATCH/TOASVA.PNG

   PLEASE CONVERT ALL WEB ADDRESSES TO LOWER CASE BEFORE ENTERING!