WATCHES: Tornado Watch Number 24

WWUS20 KWNS 181843
SEL4
SPC WW 181843
ALZ000-GAZ000-MSZ000-190200-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 24
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1245 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA
PARTS OF NORTHWEST GEORGIA
PARTS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN MISSISSIPPI

EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 1245 PM UNTIL
800 PM CST.

TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2.5 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 110 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 55 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF
HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI.
FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH
OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).

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 23...

DISCUSSION...AIR MASS HAS CONTINUED TO DESTABILIZE ACROSS THE WATCH
AREA AND 18Z SOUNDINGS AT JAN/BHM INDICATE STRONG SHEAR AND
INSTABILITY IN PLACE TO SUPPORT SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT. STORMS WILL
INCREASE IN NUMBER AND INTENSITY EWD ACROSS THE WATCH WITH
SUPERCELLS ALONG WITH A TORNADO THREAT EXPECTED. STORMS WILL EVOLVE
ALSO INTO SHORT LINE SEGMENTS DURING AFTERNOON INCREASING THE WIND
DAMAGE THREAT UNDER A VERY STRONG WIND PROFILE.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
450. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26045.

...HALES

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