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904 

WWUS20 KWNS 292338

SEL3

SPC WW 292338

GAZ000-NCZ000-SCZ000-TNZ000-010600-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 53

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

635 PM EST WED FEB 29 2012



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       NORTH GEORGIA

       WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

       UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

       EXTREME EAST AND SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE



EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING FROM 635 PM

UNTIL 100 AM EST.



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 50 STATUTE

MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF ROME

GEORGIA TO 50 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF ASHEVILLE 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 48...WW 49...WW 50...WW

51...WW 52...



DISCUSSION...A BROKEN PRE-FRONTAL BAND OF STORMS...INCLUDING SOME

EMBEDDED BOW/SUPERCELL STRUCTURES...WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS

EWD/ESEWD FROM AL/TN TO THE SRN APPALACHIANS OVERNIGHT.  INSTABILITY

IS NOT PARTICULARLY STRONG ACROSS THE WATCH AREA...BUT A GRADUAL

INCREASE IN LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE INTO EARLY TONIGHT WILL TEND TO

OFFSET THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING.  MEANWHILE...A BELT OF STRONG

DEEP-LAYER FLOW AND VERTICAL SHEAR WILL REMAIN OVER THE WATCH AREA

AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVES OVER THE OH VALLEY.  THE COMBINATION OF

WEAK INSTABILITY AND STRONG VERTICAL SHEAR WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT

A RISK FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED LARGE HAIL...AS WELL AS A

TORNADO OR TWO WITH THE MORE INTENSE EMBEDDED STORMS.



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

450. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27045.





...THOMPSON

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