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000 

WWUS20 KWNS 220744

SEL3

SPC WW 220744

ALZ000-MSZ000-221300-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 73

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

145 AM CST FRI FEB 22 2008



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       CENTRAL ALABAMA

       CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI



EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY MORNING FROM 145 AM UNTIL 700 AM CST.



HAIL TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70

MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.



THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 45

STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 50 MILES WEST

SOUTHWEST OF JACKSON MISSISSIPPI TO 35 MILES NORTH OF AUBURN

ALABAMA.  FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE

ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU3).



REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE

FAVORABLE FOR 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY

DO PRODUCE TORNADOES.



OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REPLACES

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 71. WATCH NUMBER 71 WILL NOT BE

IN EFFECT AFTER 145 AM CST. CONTINUE...WW 72...



DISCUSSION...A BAND OF ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD EWD/NEWD

OVER CENTRAL MS/AL IN ADVANCE OF A MID LEVEL TROUGH EJECTING ENEWD

FROM LA.  GRADUAL DESTABILIZATION ALOFT FROM MS INTO AL WILL SUPPORT

A CONTINUED THREAT FOR LARGE HAIL WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS...GIVEN

RELATIVELY STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR OF

40-50 KT.  THE CONVECTION WILL BE ROOTED CLOSER TO THE GROUND IN MS

AND EVENTUALLY INTO WRN AL...WHERE DOWNDRAFTS WITH THE STRONGER

STORMS MAY PENETRATE THE SURFACE STABLE LAYER AND PRODUCE ISOLATED

DAMAGING GUSTS.



AVIATION...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 25035.





...THOMPSON

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