PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
515 AM CDT TUE 16 APR 2002

...OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INCLUDING WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE UPPER MIDWEST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES OVER PARTS OF THE UPPER MIDWEST LATER TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT.

THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE:
CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEBRASKA
EXTREME EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA
EXTREME EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA
ALL OF MINNESOTA
NORTHWEST IOWA
WESTERN WISCONSIN

OTHER ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE FROM NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS NORTHWARD TO THE CANADIAN BORDER TODAY.

A POTENT UPPER TROUGH IS FORECAST TO ROTATE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS TODAY...WITH DEEP SURFACE LOW TRACKING FROM SOUTH DAKOTA INTO NORTHERN MINNESOTA BY THIS EVENING. A VERY WARM/MOIST AIR MASS IS IN PLACE ACROSS MUCH OF THE UPPER MIDWEST STATES...WHICH COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING...WILL RESULT IN HIGH INSTABILITY VALUES BY THIS AFTERNOON. NUMEROUS STRONG/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP ALONG A COLD FRONT FROM CENTRAL NEBRASKA INTO WESTERN MINNESOTA BY LATE AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS WILL RACE NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE EVENING/NIGHT WITH THE LIKELIHOOD OF WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. STRONG WINDS ALOFT ALSO SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES. ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY REMAIN SEVERE FOR MUCH OF THE NIGHT...TRACKING ACROSS IOWA INTO WISCONSIN.

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.

JOHN HART
LEAD FORECASTER, STORM PREDICTION CENTER