PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK  
NOON CDT FRI 06 APR 2001

...OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INCLUDING A FEW STRONG TORNADOES ARE EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW STRONG TORNADOES OVER PARTS OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE:
MUCH OF KANSAS
EXTREME SOUTHERN NEBRASKA
WESTERN OKLAHOMA
THE EASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO FORECAST DURING THE NIGHT ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA...SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA... SOUTHWEST IOWA...AND WESTERN MISSOURI.

A VIGOROUS UPPER TROUGH NOW OVER ARIZONA IS FORECAST TO MOVE RAPIDLY EASTWARD INTO NEW MEXICO/COLORADO BY THIS EVENING. MEANWHILE...VERY STRONG SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL WIND ACROSS THE PLAINS WILL MAINTAIN A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS. BY LATE AFTERNOON... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE SURFACE DRYLINE OVER SOUTHWEST KANSAS AND THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. THESE STORMS SHOULD QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE AND RACE NORTHEASTWARD AT OVER 50 MPH. DUE TO THE INTENSE ENVIRONMENTAL WIND SHEAR AND HIGH INSTABILITY FORECAST AHEAD OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS...SUPERCELLS ALONG WITH A FEW STRONG TORNADOES ARE EXPECTED. STORMS SHOULD TRACK ACROSS WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND MUCH OF CENTRAL KANSAS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS WITH A CONTINUED RISK OF STRONG/DAMAGING TORNADOES. WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS AND OCCASIONAL LARGE HAIL WILL ACCOMPANY THE ACTIVITY FOR MUCH OF THE NIGHT AS IT TRACKS NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF KANSAS/OKLAHOMA...AND PARTS OF NEBRASKA ...IOWA...AND MISSOURI.

THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THOSE IN THE THREATENED AREA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES AND TO LISTEN TO RADIO AND TELEVISION AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES...WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT.

STEVEN WEISS
LEAD FORECASTER
STORM PREDICTION CENTER