Jan 3, 2009 1300 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
Updated: Sat Jan 3 13:02:16 UTC 2009
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table (Effective Feb 14, 2006).
Categorical Graphic
20090103 1300 UTC Day 1 Outlook Graphic
Probabilistic Tornado Graphic
20090103 1300 UTC Day 1 Tornado Probabilities Graphic
Torndao Legend Image
Probabilistic Damaging Wind Graphic
20090103 1300 UTC Day 1 Damaging Wind Probabilities Graphic
Wind Legend Image
Probabilistic Large Hail Graphic
20090103 1300 UTC Day 1 Large Hail Probabilities Graphic
Hail Legend Image
   SPC AC 031257
   
   DAY 1 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK  
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0657 AM CST SAT JAN 03 2009
   
   VALID 031300Z - 041200Z
   
   ...THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS TODAY FROM SE TX EWD TO SW
   AL...
   
   ...EXTREME SE TX/SW LA EWD TO SRN AL/WRN FL PANHANDLE TODAY...
   THE PRIMARY FEATURE OF INTEREST WILL BE THE ENEWD MOTION OF A MID
   LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH FROM SE TX TO THE TN VALLEY BY TONIGHT. 
   LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE /BOUNDARY LAYER DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW-MID 60S/ IS
   RETURNING NWD IN A BROAD SWATH FROM E TX TO SRN AL/SW GA THIS
   MORNING.  THIS MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD NWD THROUGH THE DAY
   AND INTO TONIGHT IN RESPONSE TO THE EWD DEVELOPMENT OF A REMNANT LEE
   CYCLONE FROM WRN KS TO THE MID MS VALLEY...IN ADVANCE OF A SEPARATE
   AND LARGER SCALE NRN STREAM TROUGH.
   
   ONE OR MORE CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM THIS
   MORNING OVER THE NW GULF/EXTREME SE TX/SW LA AND SPREAD ENEWD ACROSS
   MS/AL THROUGH THIS EVENING IN ADVANCE OF THE EJECTING SRN STREAM MID
   LEVEL TROUGH.  THE SEASONABLY RICH LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...ALONG WITH
   STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES FROM THE SRN PLAINS...SHOULD RESULT IN
   MLCAPE VALUES NEAR 1500 J/KG.  THIS INSTABILITY WILL BE SUFFICIENT
   FOR AT LEAST MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL AND STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS WITH
   THE MORE INTENSE STORMS.  THE SEVERE STORM THREAT WILL BE LOCALLY
   GREATER IF/WHERE CLOUD BREAKS ALLOW SURFACE TEMPERATURES TO WARM
   INTO THE 70S AND THE STORMS BECOME FULLY ROOTED AT THE SURFACE. 
   VERTICAL SHEAR WILL NOT BE PARTICULARLY STRONG IN THE WARM SECTOR
   DOWNSTREAM FROM THE EJECTING MID LEVEL WAVE /EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR OF
   30-40 KT AND EFFECTIVE SRH AROUND 100 M2/S2/.  STILL...THE
   COMBINATION OF MODEST VERTICAL SHEAR AND INSTABILITY COULD SUPPORT
   ISOLATED STORMS WITH SUPERCELL STRUCTURES AND AN ATTENDANT THREAT
   FOR A BRIEF TORNADO THROUGH THIS EVENING.
   
   FARTHER NW...THE THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL
   BE MARGINAL ALONG A COLD FRONT FROM CENTRAL/SE MO INTO SE OK LATER
   THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT.  LIMITING FACTORS WILL BE ONLY SHALLOW
   ASCENT ALONG THE BOUNDARY...INCREASING CONVECTIVE INHIBITION WITH
   DIURNAL COOLING AS WELL AS A RESIDUAL WARM ELEVATED MIXED
   LAYER...AND THE RICHEST LOW-MID LEVEL MOISTURE PLUME LOCATED WELL SE
   OF THIS AREA.
   
   ..THOMPSON.. 01/03/2009
   
   CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT

   NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 1 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1630Z