

257 

WWUS20 KWNS 021858

SEL8

SPC WW 021858

ALZ000-FLZ000-GAZ000-CWZ000-030200-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 108

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

300 PM EDT THU APR 2 2009



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       SOUTHEAST ALABAMA

       NORTH FLORIDA AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE

       SOUTHERN GEORGIA

       COASTAL WATERS



EFFECTIVE THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 300 PM UNTIL

1000 PM EDT.



TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2 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 75 STATUTE

MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 45 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF

PANAMA CITY FLORIDA TO 25 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF JACKSONVILLE

FLORIDA.  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...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO

WATCH NUMBER 103...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 104. WATCH NUMBER 103 104

WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 300 PM EDT. CONTINUE...WW 105...WW

106...WW 107...



DISCUSSION...A LARGE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST

THROUGH THE AFTERNOON/EVENING ACROSS N FL/S GA...WITH NEW

DEVELOPMENT LIKELY SPREADING INLAND FROM THE NE GULF.  THE GREATER

THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL BE WITH SURFACE-BASED CONVECTION ON THE

LEADING EDGE OF THE BAND...WHERE A GRADUAL INCREASE IN LOW-LEVEL

FLOW THROUGH THE AFTERNOON/EVENING WILL RESULT IN FAVORABLE VERTICAL

SHEAR FOR SUPERCELLS WITH A FEW TORNADOES.  FARTHER W/N...SOMEWHAT

ELEVATED CONVECTION IS MORE PROBABLE TO THE N OF THE OUTFLOW

BOUNDARY WHICH REMAINS OFFSHORE.  INCREASING WAA ABOVE THE SHALLOW

COLD POOL WILL SUPPORT A RISK OF LARGE HAIL AND POSSIBLY DAMAGING

WINDS WITH THE STRONGER STORMS ACROSS THE FL PANHANDLE AND SE AL/SW

GA.



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

SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE

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

500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.





...THOMPSON

