PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS LATER TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FEW STRONG TORNADOES ALONG WITH VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS OVER PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS LATER TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.

THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN TEXAS SURROUNDING THE HIGHEST RISK AREA...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM SOUTH TEXAS NORTH AND EAST INTO PARTS OF KANSAS...SOUTHWEST MISSOURI...ARKANSAS AND LOUISIANA.

A VERY STRONG HIGH-LEVEL STORM SYSTEM NOW OVER ARIZONA AND NEVADA...WITH 120 MPH JET STREAM WINDS...WILL SWEEP EAST INTO FAR WEST TEXAS AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO EARLY THURSDAY. AS THIS OCCURS...A SURFACE LOW THAT WILL FORM THIS AFTERNOON OVER EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND MOVE NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA THURSDAY MORNING. SOUTHEASTERLY SURFACE WINDS ARE ALREADY SPREADING VERY WARM AND HUMID AIR NORTHWARD ACROSS CENTRAL INTO NORTHERN TEXAS. THESE WINDS WILL INCREASE IN STRENGTH AND BREADTH THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY AS THE NEW MEXICO LOW HEADS EASTWARD. THE COMBINATION OF INCREASINGLY WARM AND HUMID AIR NEAR THE SURFACE...WITH THE FAST JET STREAM FLOW ALOFT...WILL CREATE A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR SUSTAINED ROTATING THUNDERSTORMS CALLED SUPERCELLS FROM CENTRAL TEXAS INTO SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA. SCATTERED STORMS WITH HAIL MAY OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTHERN TEXAS AND SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA.

MORE SIGNIFICANT STORMS...HOWEVER...LIKELY WILL DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FROM WEST CENTRAL TEXAS NORTH AND EAST ACROSS THE RED RIVER VALLEY INTO SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA. ESPECIALLY IN CENTRAL AND NORTH TEXAS...THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG TORNADOES...IN ADDITION TO VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES...HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS LIKELY WILL CONTINUE OVER PARTS OF TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.

THIS THREAT WILL ALSO EXPAND NORTH AND EAST ACROSS THE OZARKS INTO A LARGE PART OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEYS LATER THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. 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...TELEVISION...AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES...WARNINGS...AND STATEMENTS LATER TODAY.