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WWUS20 KWNS 082248

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SPC WW 082248

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URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 280

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

650 PM EDT THU MAY 8 2008



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

       WESTERN VIRGINIA

       WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE



EFFECTIVE THIS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING FROM 650 PM

UNTIL 100 AM EDT.



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 70 STATUTE

MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 35 MILES NORTH OF STAUNTON

VIRGINIA TO 60 MILES WEST OF GREENSBORO NORTH CAROLINA.  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.



OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 278...WW 279...



DISCUSSION...BROKEN LINE OF STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN

COVERAGE AND INTENSITY AS DEEP ASCENT AHEAD OF APPROACHING UPPER

SYSTEM SPREADS INTO GREATER INSTABILITY EAST OF THE APPALACHIANS.

WITH INCREASING SSWLY LLJ THIS EVENING...SHEAR PARAMETERS WILL

BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELLS AND POSSIBLY ISOLATED

TORNADOES.  OTHERWISE...THREATS OF DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED LARGE

HAIL WILL ACCOMPANY STRONGER CORES THIS EVENING.



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

400. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.





...EVANS

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