SEL5
   
   URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
   TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 5
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   540 AM CST THU FEB 5 2004
   
   THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
   TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF 
   
          LARGE PART OF LOUISIANA
          SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI
          EXTREME SOUTHEAST TEXAS
          COASTAL WATERS
   
   EFFECTIVE THIS THURSDAY MORNING FROM 540 AM UNTIL NOON 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 100 STATUTE MILES EAST AND
   WEST OF A LINE FROM 45 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF INTRACOASTAL CITY
   LOUISIANA TO 35 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF JACKSON MISSISSIPPI.
   
   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.
   
   
   
   
   DISCUSSION...LARGE SCALE ASCENT WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE MORNING
   AHEAD OF APPROACHING UPPER LOW AS STRONG UPPER DIFLUENCE AND
   INCREASING LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE OVERSPREAD THE REGION. 
   WELL-DEFINED SURFACE FRONT WILL LIKELY REMAIN IN A NE-SW ORIENTATION
   FROM N-CENTRAL MS INTO FAR SERN TX/SWRN LA THROUGH THE MID
   MORNING...WITH A SERIES OF WEAK WAVES SHIFTING NEWD ALONG IT.  NET
   RESULT WILL BE AN INCREASE IN STORM COVERAGE/INTENSITY ACROSS
   WW...AS DIURNAL HEATING INCREASES AND BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTENS. 
   STORMS SHOULD BECOME INCREASINGLY SURFACE-BASED WITH VERY STRONG
   SHEAR SUPPORTIVE OF TORNADIC SUPERCELLS.
   
   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 500.
   MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 23040.
   
   
   ...EVANS