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WWUS20 KWNS 162051

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URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 79

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK

350 PM CDT FRI MAR 16 2012



THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF



       WESTERN OKLAHOMA

       THE TEXAS SOUTH PLAINS AND EASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE



EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 350 PM UNTIL 900

PM CDT.



HAIL TO 2.5 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 65

STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES EAST

NORTHEAST OF GAGE OKLAHOMA TO 55 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF LUBBOCK

TEXAS.  FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED

WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).



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...CONTINUE...WW 78...



DISCUSSION...DEEPENING CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN NOTED IN RECENT

VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY ALONG THE DRYLINE FROM JUST SW OF LBB TO

JUST NE OF PAMPA.  CONTINUED DAYTIME HEATING WILL FURTHER WEAKEN

CONVECTIVE INHIBITION...AND A WEAK LARGE SCALE ASCENT WILL HELP

CONDITION THE ENVIRONMENT FOR MORE STORM DEVELOPMENT AS A WEAK

MIDLEVEL TROUGH MOVES NEWD FROM ERN NM.  VERTICAL SHEAR IS ONLY

MARGINALLY FAVORABLE FOR SPLITTING SUPERCELLS...BUT STRONG

INSTABILITY WILL SUPPORT A RISK FOR LARGE HAIL WITH ANY SUSTAINED

STORMS.  LATER THIS EVENING...STORMS COULD COALESCE INTO A CLUSTER

OR TWO ACROSS NW TX AND SW OK...WITH AN ATTENDANT RISK FOR LARGE

HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.



AVIATION...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 500. MEAN STORM

MOTION VECTOR 27020.





...THOMPSON

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