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URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 68

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

735 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       EXTREME SOUTHEAST ALABAMA

       THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE

       SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST GEORGIA

       COASTAL WATERS



EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 735 AM UNTIL

200 PM EST.



TORNADOES...HAIL TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND

GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE

AREAS.



THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 50 STATUTE

MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 35 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF

PANAMA CITY FLORIDA TO 75 MILES NORTHEAST OF VALDOSTA GEORGIA.

FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH

OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU8).



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 67...



DISCUSSION...PRE-FRONTAL STORMS HAVE BEEN GRADUALLY INCREASING IN

COVERAGE/INTENSITY ACROSS THE FL PANHANDLE AND SW GA...AND THIS

TREND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING AS SURFACE HEATING BEGINS TO

DESTABILIZE THE BOUNDARY LAYER.  MLCAPE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO

1000-1500 J/KG WITH DAYTIME HEATING...AND VERTICAL SHEAR WILL REMAIN

FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A FEW TORNADOES.

OTHERWISE...DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE

STRONGER STORMS THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON.



AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL

SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE

WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO

500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24040.





...THOMPSON

