Tornado Watch Issued to our West and Northwest

A Tornado Watch has been issued for the northern half of Mississippi, the extreme southwestern parts of Tennessee, the extreme east and southeastern parts of Arkansas, and the extreme north and northeastern parts of Louisiana. The good news is, at this point, both NWS Huntsville and the Storm Prediction Center has elected not to issue the watch for any counties in the western parts of North Alabama. However, watches will likely be required for portions of North/Central Alabama later this afternoon and into the evening and nighttime hours. Here is the text of this Tornado Watch:

••• Tornado Watch for portions of
• Southeast Arkansas
• Northeast Louisiana
• Northern Mississippi
• Southwest Tennessee

••• Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 1205 PM until 700 PM CST.

••• Primary threats include…
• A few tornadoes likely, with a couple intense tornadoes possible
• Scattered damaging winds likely, with isolated significant gusts to 75 mph possible
• Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2 inches in diameter possible

SUMMARY… Thunderstorms are expected to intensify early this afternoon over parts of southeast Arkansas and northeast Louisiana, and track rapidly eastward across the watch area. Damaging winds and a few tornadoes, along with some hail, will be possible in these areas.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles north and south of a line from 15 miles southwest of El Dorado AR to 40 miles east northeast of Tupelo MS.

••• PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

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.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Severe Weather