Special Weather Statement from NWS-Memphis

...SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...THEN A MAJOR
SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK EXPECTED SATURDAY...

A COMPLEX WEATHER SITUATION IS UNFOLDING FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
A WARM...MOIST...AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS WILL OVERTAKE THE MIDSOUTH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THIS UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN COMBINATION WITH
STRENGTHENING WIND SHEAR COULD CAUSE SOME SEVERE STORMS TO DEVELOP
LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND PERSIST THROUGH LATE FRIDAY EVENING.

THE UNCERTAINTY OF FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT HINGES ON WHETHER AN
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE CAN TRIGGER THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER...ANY
THUNDERSTORM THAT MANAGES TO DEVELOP DURING THIS TIME HAS A GOOD
CHANCE OF BECOMING SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL GIVEN
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.

THE SEVERE THREAT INCREASES MARKEDLY SATURDAY AS A RAPIDLY
STRENGTHENING SURFACE LOW TRACKS FROM SOUTH TEXAS TO SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS. A MAJOR SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS LIKELY TO UNFOLD
BY LATE SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS MOST OF THE MIDSOUTH. THE BEST
CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY WILL BE ALONG AND EAST OF
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. EVEN STRONGER WIND SHEAR AND A CONTINUATION
OF UNSTABLE CONDITIONS COULD PRODUCE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...AND
WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE WITH STORMS. FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE.

THE BEST WINDOW FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE FROM 4 PM TO MIDNIGHT
FRIDAY...AND FROM 10 AM TO 7 PM SATURDAY.

RESIDENTS OF THE MIDSOUTH SHOULD PREPARE FOR SEVERE WEATHER EARLY
THIS WEEKEND AND LISTEN TO THE LATEST FORECASTS. IF YOU DO NOT
HAVE A WEATHER RADIO...THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO PURCHASE ONE. IN
ADDITION...YOU SHOULD REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES AND KNOW
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WATCH AND A WARNING.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY...GO TO:

HTTP://SRH.NOAA.GOV/MEG/?N=PREPAREDNESS

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