TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 785
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1225 PM CDT FRI OCT 30 2009

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

WESTERN ALABAMA
EASTERN MISSISSIPPI

EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 1225 PM UNTIL
700 PM CDT.

TORNADOES…HAIL TO 1 INCH 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 EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 35 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF
MUSCLE SHOALS ALABAMA TO 35 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF PINE BELT
MISSISSIPPI. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE
ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).

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.

DISCUSSION…EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND
INTENSITY ACROSS THE WATCH AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS HEATING OF
THE DAY AIDS IN BOOSTING SURFACE-BASED INSTABILITY AND STRONG COLD
FRONT PROGRESSES GRADUALLY EAST INTO VERY MOIST AIR MASS. RADAR IS
ALREADY INDICATING WEAK ROTATION WITH MANY OF THE MORE PERSISTENT
CELLS THAT HAVE INCREASED THROUGH THE MORNING. BOTH DEEP-LAYER SHEAR
AND LOW LEVEL HELICITY VALUES WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT STORM
ROTATION/MESOCYCLONES WITH AN INCREASING CHANCE THAT FAST-MOVING
CELLS COULD PRODUCE WIND DAMAGE OR ISOLATED BRIEF TORNADOES AS
GREATER INSTABILITY IS REALIZED.