

975 

WWUS20 KWNS 181843

SEL4

SPC WW 181843

ALZ000-GAZ000-MSZ000-190200-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 24

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

1245 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA

       PARTS OF NORTHWEST GEORGIA

       PARTS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN MISSISSIPPI



EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 1245 PM UNTIL

800 PM CST.



TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND

GUSTS TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE

AREAS.



THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 110 STATUTE

MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 55 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF

HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI.

FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH

OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).



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 23...



DISCUSSION...AIR MASS HAS CONTINUED TO DESTABILIZE ACROSS THE WATCH

AREA AND 18Z SOUNDINGS AT JAN/BHM INDICATE STRONG SHEAR AND

INSTABILITY IN PLACE TO SUPPORT SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT.  STORMS WILL

INCREASE IN NUMBER AND INTENSITY EWD ACROSS THE WATCH WITH

SUPERCELLS ALONG WITH A TORNADO THREAT EXPECTED.  STORMS WILL EVOLVE

ALSO INTO SHORT LINE SEGMENTS DURING AFTERNOON INCREASING THE WIND

DAMAGE THREAT UNDER A VERY STRONG WIND PROFILE.



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

SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE

WIND GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO

450. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26045.





...HALES

