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000 

WWUS20 KWNS 181518

SEL0

SPC WW 181518

ARZ000-OKZ000-TXZ000-182300-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 130

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

1020 AM CDT TUE MAR 18 2008



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       A LARGE PORTION OF ARKANSAS

       SMALL PART OF SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA

       PARTS OF NORTHEAST TEXAS



EFFECTIVE THIS TUESDAY MORNING AND EVENING FROM 1020 AM UNTIL 600

PM CDT.



...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...



DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 2 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 75 STATUTE

MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 15 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF

JONESBORO ARKANSAS TO 55 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PARIS TEXAS.  FOR A

COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE

UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU0).



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.



DISCUSSION...THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY ALONG AND S

OF WARM FRONT WHICH EXTENDS FROM E OF DAL TO NRN AR.  VERY STRONG

DEEP LAYER SHEAR AND A MOIST...INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE AIR MASS

SUPPORTS TORNADIC SUPERCELLS.  GIVEN THE STRENGTH OF VEERING SHEAR

PROFILES POTENTIAL EXITS FOR STRONG TORNADOES.



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

SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE

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

500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24040.





...HALES

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