URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
   TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 785
   STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   230 PM CST WED DEC 18 2002
   
   THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
   TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
   
   NORTH AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS                           
   SOUTHEAST MISSOURI                           
   
   EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 230 PM UNTIL
   900 PM CST.
   
   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 ALONG AND 80 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
   OF A LINE FROM 95 MILES SOUTHWEST OF JONESBORO ARKANSAS TO 20 MILES
   NORTH NORTHWEST OF POPLAR BLUFF MISSOURI.
   
   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.
   
   OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...  CONTINUE...WW 783...WW 784...
   
   DISCUSSION...THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE/INTENSITY AND
   SPREAD NEWD FROM AR TOWARD SE MO THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. 
   DESTABILIZATION FROM THE S AND STRONG VERTICAL SHEAR WILL SUPPORT
   SUPERCELLS WITH TORNADOES IN SEVERAL NE-SW ORIENTED BANDS...AS WELL
   AS A THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.  AN ISOLATED STRONG
   TORNADO COULD OCCUR LATER THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING ALONG AN AXIS FROM
   LIT TO ARG.
   
   
   AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
   SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1 INCH...EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
   GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS.  A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 450. 
   MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24045.
   
   
   ...THOMPSON