**PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK**

   PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0330 AM CST THU FEB 24 2011

   ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE LOWER
   MISSISSIPPI...LOWER TENNESSEE...AND LOWER OHIO VALLEYS LATER TODAY
   INTO TONIGHT...

   THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE
   DEVELOPMENT OF TORNADOES...DAMAGING WINDS...AND HAIL OVER PARTS OF
   THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI AND LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEYS LATER TODAY INTO
   TONIGHT.

   THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE

          MUCH OF ARKANSAS
          WESTERN KENTUCKY
          NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI
          WESTERN AND MIDDLE TENNESSEE

   SURROUNDING THE AREA OF GREATEST RISK...SEVERE STORMS ALSO MAY OCCUR
   FROM NORTHERN AND EASTERN TEXAS...AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN
   OKLAHOMA...INTO ALABAMA AND THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN AND
   CENTRAL APPALACHIANS

   A POTENT JET STREAM DISTURBANCE NOW IN NEW MEXICO WILL SWEEP
   EAST-NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TODAY...AND INTO THE LOWER
   MISSISSIPPI AND OHIO VALLEYS TONIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY.

   AS THIS OCCURS...A SURFACE LOW NOW FORMING IN OKLAHOMA WILL
   STRENGTHEN AND ACCELERATE EAST-NORTHEAST INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
   THIS AFTERNOON...BEFORE CONTINUING NORTHEAST ACROSS KENTUCKY AND
   SOUTHERN OHIO EARLY FRIDAY.

   A BROAD CURRENT OF MOIST AND INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE AIR WILL SURGE
   NORTHWARD AHEAD OF THE LOW INTO MUCH OF SOUTH-CENTRAL AND
   SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.

   THE COMBINATION OF INCREASING MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WITH THE
   STRENGTHENING WINDS OF THE JET STREAM WILL CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT
   FAVORABLE FOR STRONG ROTATING THUNDERSTORMS AS DAYTIME HEATING
   FURTHER DESTABILIZES THE REGION FROM THE ARKLATEX TO THE LOWER
   TENNESSEE VALLEY.

   THE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GROW INTO ONE OR MORE
   LONG-LIVED BANDS THAT COULD PRODUCE A FEW STRONG TORNADOES...IN
   ADDITION TO SWATHS OF DAMAGING WIND AND HAIL.

   THE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE THE MOST NUMEROUS LATER THIS AFTERNOON
   THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT OVER PARTS OF ARKANSAS...MISSISSIPPI AND
   TENNESSEE...BUT MORE ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER MAY PERSIST THROUGH
   EARLY FRIDAY OVER PARTS OF THE TENNESSEE AND OHIO VALLEYS.

   STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE MONITORING THIS DEVELOPING
   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.

   ..CORFIDI.. 02/24/2011

   $$

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