

207 

WWUS20 KWNS 270549

SEL4

SPC WW 270549

ALZ000-FLZ000-LAZ000-MSZ000-CWZ000-271300-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 74

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

1250 AM CDT FRI MAR 27 2009



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       SOUTHERN ALABAMA

       FAR WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE

       SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA

       SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

       COASTAL WATERS



EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY MORNING FROM 1250 AM UNTIL 800 AM CDT.



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 65 STATUTE

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

LOUISIANA TO 30 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF EVERGREEN ALABAMA.  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...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO

WATCH NUMBER 72. WATCH NUMBER 72 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 1250

AM CDT.



DISCUSSION...LARGE MCS COMPOSED OF EMBEDDED SUPERCELLS AND SMALL BOW

ECHOES WILL CONTINUE TO SHIFT STEADILY ENEWD ACROSS THE CENTRAL GULF

COAST REGION OVERNIGHT.  SURFACE MESOLOW WILL LIFT NEWD AWAY FROM

SERN LA AND ALLOW WARM FRONT TO LIFT NWD INTO SWRN LA/WRN FL

PANHANDLE.  DESPITE MARGINAL INSTABILITY...VERY MOIST AIR MASS/LOW

CLOUD BASES AND EXTREME SHEAR WILL MAINTAIN THREATS OF SEVERE

THUNDERSTORMS... INCLUDING ISOLATED TORNADOES.  VERY HEAVY RAINFALL

WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THIS ACTIVITY.



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

450. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26035.





...EVANS

