STORM2K

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 52
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
215 PM CST TUE MAR 18 2003

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

SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS
MUCH OF LOUISIANA

EFFECTIVE THIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 215 PM UNTIL 900
PM CST.

...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...

DAMAGING TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE
POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 65 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 35 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA TO 45
MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF EL DORADO ARKANSAS.

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...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO WATCH
NUMBER 51. WATCH NUMBER 51 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 215 PM CST.

DISCUSSION...STORMS ARE RAPIDLY CHANGING CHARACTER AS EXIT REGION
OF STRONG MID LEVEL JET NOW TURNS NEWD INTO SERN TX. AIR MASS IN
THE WARM SECTOR ACROSS SRN LA IS MODERATELY UNSTABLE WITH CAPE TO
1300 J/KG. SEVERAL BOUNDARIES ARE ALSO ACROSS NERN AND CENTRAL LA.
AS LINE OF SEVERE STORMS MOVE EWD...INTERACTION WITH THESE
BOUNDARIES MAY ENHANCE TORNADO POTENTIAL WHERE DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS
55 TO 70 KTS.


AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 22035.


...MCCARTHY