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WWUS20 KWNS 231715

SEL5

SPC WW 231715

INZ000-KYZ000-MDZ000-OHZ000-PAZ000-VAZ000-WVZ000-240100-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 55

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

115 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       SOUTHERN AND EASTERN INDIANA

       MUCH OF KENTUCKY

       EXTREME WESTERN MARYLAND

       CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN OHIO

       SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA

       FAR WESTERN VIRGINIA

       MUCH OF WEST VIRGINIA



EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 115 PM UNTIL

900 PM EDT.



TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2.5 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 160 STATUTE

MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF

ZANESVILLE OHIO TO 60 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF BOWLING GREEN

KENTUCKY.  FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE

ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).



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...ALONG AND ESPECIALLY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT...MULTIPLE

BROKEN BANDS OF STRONG/SEVERE TSTMS WILL DEVELOP THROUGH THE

AFTERNOON. GIVEN MODEST INSTABILITY/STEEP LAPSE RATES ALOFT COUPLED

WITH VERY STRONG VERTICAL SHEAR...THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH

SEMI-DISCRETE/SPLITTING SUPERCELLS AND BOWS ARE PROBABLE. LARGE HAIL

AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE THE PRIMARY CONCERNS...BUT A FEW TORNADOES

WILL BE POSSIBLE AS WELL GIVEN THE DEGREE OF LOW LEVEL SPEED SHEAR.



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

SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE

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

400. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27040.





...GUYER

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