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095 

WWUS20 KWNS 111647

SEL3

SPC WW 111647

NCZ000-CWZ000-120200-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 953

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

1145 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA

       COASTAL WATERS



EFFECTIVE THIS THURSDAY MORNING AND EVENING FROM 1145 AM UNTIL

900 PM EST.



TORNADOES...HAIL TO 1 INCH 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 EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 20 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF

ELIZABETH CITY NORTH CAROLINA TO 25 MILES SOUTH OF NEW BERN NORTH

CAROLINA.  FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE

ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU3).



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 950...WW 951...WW 952...



DISCUSSION...THOUGH THE MAIN FORCING IS STILL LOCATED WELL WEST OF

THIS REGION... THINNING CLOUDS HAVE ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO WARM

INTO THE LOWER 70S...WITH MID AND UPPER 60 DEWPOINTS RESULTING IN

MUCAPES AROUND 500 J/KG. STORMS HAVE RECENTLY DEVELOPED OFF THE SRN

NC COAST AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO SPREAD/DEVELOP NWD ACROSS ERN NC

THROUGH THE AFTERNOON/EVENING HOURS. LOW/DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS MORE

THAN SUFFICIENT FOR SUPERCELLS AND EVEN TORNADOES. THE THREAT FOR

TORNADOES WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS STRONGER WIND

FIELDS AND LARGE SCALE FORCING SPREAD IN FROM THE WEST.



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

SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1 INCH. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND

GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 450.

MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 19035.





...IMY

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