Storm Prediction Center Public Severe Weather Statement 5:00 AM…

The Storm Prediction Center has placed a large part of west and central Alabama into central Mississippi under a rare High Risk of severe weather today. This includes the potential for an outbreak of severe weather including tornadoes, some of which could be long-lived and potentially violent, in addition to damaging winds and large hail. Below is the public statement as issued by the Storm Prediction Center.

…SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY…MID SOUTH AND TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY TODAY…

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FEW STRONG…LONG-TRACK TORNADOES OVER PARTS OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY…MID SOUTH AND TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY TODAY.

THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE

ALABAMA
ARKANSAS
LOUISIANA
MISSISSIPPI
TENNESSEE

ELSEWHERE…SEVERE STORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FROM…THE NORTHERN GULF COAST NORTHWARD INTO THE LOWER MISSOURI VALLEY AND MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEYS EASTWARD INTO THE OHIO VALLEY AND SOUTHERNAPPALACHIANS.

A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN TODAY AS IT MOVES FROM TEXAS NORTHEASTWARD TO THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION OVERNIGHT. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE MIDDLE AND LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY TODAY BEFORE MOVING EASTWARD INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY AND EXTENDING SOUTHWARD TO THE MID SOUTH REGION LATE TONIGHT.

AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT…A WARM…INCREASING MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD FROM THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND NORTHERN GULF COAST STATES INTO THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI AND OHIO RIVER VALLEYS. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ONGOING THIS MORNING WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND BECOME MORE NUMEROUS THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND INTO TONIGHT AS THEY SPREAD NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF THE LOWER AND MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY NORTH AND EASTWARD INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY AND SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS.

A POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK RESULTING FROM INCREASINGLY VOLATILE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY INCLUDE AN INCREASING AND CONCENTRATED THREAT FOR TORNADOES…LARGE HAIL…AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS
ACTIVITY WILL BE ACROSS THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY BEGINNING THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON AND SPREADING NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY AND MID SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE NIGHTTIME HOURS. VERY STRONG WINDS ALOFT CHANGING DIRECTION WITH
HEIGHT WILL SUPPORT THE POSSIBILITY FOR A FEW STRONG AND POTENTIALLY VIOLENT LONG TRACK TORNADOES ACROSS THIS AREA.

STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE MONITORING THIS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THOSE IN THE THREATENED AREA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES AND TO LISTEN TO RADIO…TELEVISION…AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES…WARNINGS…AND STATEMENTS LATER TODAY.

..SMITH.. 04/24/2010

Isaac Williams
WVUA-Weather