PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1130 AM CDT WED 24 OCT 2001

...OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT OVER PARTS OF THE OHIO VALLEY AND SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE AND A FEW INTENSE TORNADOES OVER PARTS OF THE OHIO VALLEY AND SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION TODAY AND THIS EVENING.

THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE:
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL ILLINOIS
WESTERN AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY
ALL OF INDIANA
WESTERN OHIO
SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN

OTHER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE EXPECTED FROM WESTERN ARKANSAS AND NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI INTO WESTERN NEW YORK TODAY AND TONIGHT.

A POWERFUL SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE RAPIDLY ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI AND OHIO VALLEYS TODAY. WARM...HUMID AIR AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL RESULT IN SUFFICIENT INSTABIITY FOR NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS. VERY STRONG WINDS ALOFT AND THE APPROACH OF A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL PROVIDE A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES...WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING LATE THIS MORNING FROM CENTRAL ILLINOIS INTO SOUTHERN MISSOURI. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS ARE EXPECTED BY EARLY AFTERNOON OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND CENTRAL/SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...MOVING NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS MUCH OF INDIANA... KENTUCKY...WESTERN OHIO...AND SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A FEW STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES IN THIS REGION.

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 THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

STEVEN WEISS
LEAD FORECASTER STORM PREDICTION CENTER