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262 

WWUS20 KWNS 181710

SEL3

SPC WW 181710

KYZ000-TNZ000-182300-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 23

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

1110 AM CST WED FEB 18 2009



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       LARGE PART OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN KENTUCKY

       LARGE PART OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE



EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 1110 AM UNTIL

500 PM CST.



TORNADOES...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 95 STATUTE

MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 45 MILES NORTHWEST OF JACKSON

KENTUCKY TO 80 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF NASHVILLE TENNESSEE.  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.



DISCUSSION...THUNDERSTORM WILL INCREASE IN NUMBER AND INTENSITY

AHEAD OF COLD FRONT MOVING INTO WRN KY/TN.  VERY STRONG SHEAR AND

INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE AIR MASS SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH

SUPERCELLS AND SHORT LINE SEGMENTS.  TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH

ANY SUPERCELL AS THEY MOVE VERY RAPIDLY EWD. DAMAGING WINDS ALSO

LIKELY IN STRONGER STORMS...PARTICULARLY LINE SEGMENTS GIVEN THE

INTENSITY OF THE WIND FIELDS ACROSS THE AREA.



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

450. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26050.





...HALES

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