Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Tornado Watch 296 (AR/MS)

National Weather Service ^ | May 10, 2008 | Storm Prediction Service

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URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 296
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
335 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2008

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

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI

EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 335 PM UNTIL 1000 PM CDT.

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

DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 2.5 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 75 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 65 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF TEXARKANA ARKANSAS TO 35 MILES NORTH OF GREENWOOD MISSISSIPPI. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

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 292. WATCH NUMBER 292 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 335 PM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 293...WW 294...WW 295...

DISCUSSION...POTENTIALLY VOLATILE SITUATION MAY BE UNFOLDING ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHERN AR...EWD TO NWRN/CNTRL MS THROUGH THIS EVENING AS LARGE DEEP-LAYER CYCLONE CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY ACROSS KS/MO AND ASCENT STRENGTHENS ACROSS VERY UNSTABLE AIR MASS. WARM FRONT NOW BISECTING AR NW-SE HAS BEEN REINFORCED BY DAYLONG STRONG TO SEVERE ELEVATED CONVECTION ACROSS THE OZARK PLATEAU. AS STRONGER FORCING NOW EMERGES WITH THE ADVANCING UPPER TROUGH...RESIDUAL WEAK INHIBITION SHOULD BE REMOVED AND ALLOW FOR SURFACE-BASED STORM DEVELOPMENT. STORMS/SUPERCELLS DEVELOPING IN UNPERTURBED AIR MASS ACROSS ERN/SERN OK WILL ENCOUNTER MOIST LOW LEVEL ELY/SELY FLOW NEAR THE WARM FRONT/OUTFLOW BOUNDARY ACROSS AR SHORTLY. LOW LEVEL SHEAR ALONG THIS BOUNDARY...AND ACROSS THE REST OF THE WARM SECTOR...WILL SUPPORT LONG-LIVED UPDRAFT ROTATION. A CORRIDOR OF GREATER POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO INTENSE LOW LEVEL STORMS ROTATION MAY EVOLVE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS WITH THE THREAT OF ONE OR TWO LONGER-LIVED STRONG TORNADOES WITHIN THE WATCH AREA.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26030.

...CARBIN

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

CAN ANYONE ACTUALLY READ THIS BULLETIN?

[billorites]

"AS STRONGER FORCING NOW EMERGES WITH THE ADVANCING UPPER TROUGH...RESIDUAL WEAK INHIBITION SHOULD BE REMOVED AND ALLOW FOR SURFACE-BASED STORM DEVELOPMENT."

Ah, reminds me of my wedding night...

[CindyDawg]

Prayers up.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

LOL!

[brytlea]

Ditto
They have had a bad run in that part of the country.
susie

[SaintDismas]

OKEY DOKEY

[TomGuy]

Updates approx every 15 minutes:

[trisham]

bump!

[RegulatorCountry]

We had a go-round with tornadoes and large hail in my part of North Carolina a few nights ago ... two EF2, one EF3, couple of storm cells had hail up to 3” diameter, reportedly. One fatality, three injuries, about ten houses destroyed and scores more damaged. FedEx took a beating, two planes flipped, plus two semis overturned on I-40. The storms kept me up late, past 2 AM, didn’t want to fall asleep with that kind of weather lurking around. No damage in my immediate area, thank goodness.

We should be spared this next round, though. Cool air along the base of the Appalachians should force the low pressure system south and east of us.

[McLynnan]

No, I think it was written by the same people who write assembly instructions for products manufactured in China. But if you read between the lines it sounds ominous.

On a side note I am near Crawford and they have issued a tornado watch here until 9:00 PM tonight. Hope Jenna’s wedding isn’t ruined!

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Tornado Warning for Black Oak, Ark.

[spectre]

Tornado on the ground just south of Jonesboro..

That's number ONE for tonight..groan.

sw

[TomGuy]

Possible forming tornado in NE OK - Delaware County just north of Colcord, moving toward NW AR - Benton County path includes Decatur/Gravette toward Bentonville/Rogers, moving at around 50 mph.

Another just issues south of the above about 20 miles. [Sirens going off locally in Siloam Springs, AR now.]

Watts, Westville, Oklahoma areas.
Siloam Springs, Arkansas area.

[TomGuy]

CBS Max5 Ft. Smith/Fayetteville reports spotters see tornado on ground in Cherokee City area (extreme West Benton County, Hwy 12, west of Gentry about 8 miles).

[TomGuy]

Supercell with rotation moving toward Bentonville, AR. In Decatur, AR area now.

Another Supercell with rotation moving toward Fayetteville/Springdale, AR area. In Tonitown area now, about 5 miles west of Fayetteville/Springdale.

These 2 cells are only about 5 miles apart.

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Live tornado chaser video - tornadovideos.net

[spectre]

It should be in our area in 20 minutes or so.

Surface winds at over 100mph!

sw