URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 69
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
220 PM EST TUE MAR 22 2005
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE
SOUTHWEST GEORGIA
COASTAL WATERS
EFFECTIVE THIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 220 PM UNTIL 900
PM EST.
...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...
DESTRUCTIVE 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 APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 70 STATUTE MILES
NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARIANNA
FLORIDA TO 10 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF VALDOSTA GEORGIA. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE
UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).
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 64. WATCH NUMBER 64 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 220
PM EST. CONTINUE...WW 65...WW 66...WW 67...WW 68...
DISCUSSION...INTENSE TORNADIC SUPERCELLS ARE MOVING EWD ACROSS SW
GA...AND SHOULD PERSIST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WITH ADDITIONAL
DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE. THE 18Z TLH SOUNDING SHOWED A 2000 J/KG
MLCAPE...0-6 KM SHEAR OF 50 KT...EFFECTIVE HELICITY OF 300
M2/S2...AND VERY MOIST LOW LEVELS. THESE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
WILL SUPPORT A CONTINUED TORNADO THREAT...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR
INTENSE/LONG-LIVED TORNADOES IN ADDITION TO THE LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WIND THREATS.
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 26030.
