URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 109
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
645 PM EDT SAT MAR 24 2012
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN NORTH CAROLINA
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY NIGHT FROM 645 PM UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 1.5 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 40 STATUTE
MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 20 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF
RICHMOND VIRGINIA TO 25 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF DANVILLE
VIRGINIA. 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...CONTINUE...WW 104...WW 105...WW
106...WW 107...WW 108...
DISCUSSION...LONG-LIVED TSTM/CYCLIC SUPERCELL NOW NEAR LYNCHBURG VA
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE NE TO ENE AT ABOUT 20-25 KTS. STORM APPEARS TO
HAVE BEEN AIDED BY SHALLOW WSW-ENE ORIENTED BOUNDARY THAT BECOMES
MORE DIFFUSE WITH EWD EXTENT ACROSS S CNTRL VA. STRENGTH OF STORM
AND REASONABLY UNSTABLE/MOIST ESELY LOW LVL FLOW AHEAD OF IT SUGGEST
THAT IT MAY PERSIST FOR SOME TIME LATER THIS EVE...POSING A THREAT
FOR SVR HAIL AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO. FARTHER S...STORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO INCREASE ALONG NNE-SSW CONFLUENCE AXIS EXTENDING FROM
NEAR LYNCHBURG INTO PIEDMONT NC. SUFFICIENT DEEP SHEAR AND FORCING
FOR ASCENT APPEAR PRESENT TO SUPPORT A RISK FOR INTERMITTENT
SUPERCELL STRUCTURES THAT WOULD BE CAPABLE OF SVR HAIL...LOCALLY
DMGG WIND...AND PERHAPS ONE OR TWO TORNADOES THROUGH MID TO LATE
EVE.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
400. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24020.
...CORFIDI
