URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 644
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
120 PM EDT SAT JUL 5 2003
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
MAINE
NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE
COASTAL WATERS
EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 120 PM UNTIL
700 PM EDT.
HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70
MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 80 STATUTE MILES
EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF AUGUSTA MAINE
TO 20 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF CARIBOU MAINE.
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.
DISCUSSION...CONVECTION IS INCREASING OVER WRN ME AND NRN NH EARLY
THIS AFTERNOON...IN ASSOCIATION WITH SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING ACROSS
QUEBEC/NRN NEW ENGLAND. THE AIR MASS IS MODERATELY UNSTABLE WITH
SFC-6 KM SHEAR APPROACHING 40 KT...SUGGESTING STORMS WILL STRENGTHEN
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND MAY DEVELOP MID LEVEL ROTATION. SUPERCELL
POTENTIAL WILL LIKEWISE INCREASE THE THREAT OF DAMAGING WINDS AND
LARGE HAIL AS STORMS SPREAD EWD INTO THE EARLY EVENING.
AVIATION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT
TO 1 INCH. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS.
A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION
VECTOR 27025.
...EVANS