4/20/23 

AIM 

meteorological reasoning and technical information for the aviation community. SPC may enhance a Public 

Tornado Watch Notification Message by using the words “THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS 

SITUATION” when there is a likelihood of multiple strong (damage of EF2 or EF3) or violent (damage of EF4 

or EF5) tornadoes. 

4. 

Public severe thunderstorm and tornado watch notification messages were formerly known as the Severe 

Weather Watch Bulletins (WW). The NWS no longer uses that title or acronym for this product but retains WW 

in the product header for processing by weather data systems. 

EXAMPLE

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Example of a Public Tornado Watch Notification Message: 

WWUS20 KWNS 050550 

SEL2 

SPC WW 051750 

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED 

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 243 

NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 

1250 AM CDT MON MAY 5 2011 

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A 

*TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF 

WESTERN AND CENTRAL ARKANSAS 

SOUTHERN MISSOURI 

FAR EASTERN OKLAHOMA 

*EFFECTIVE THIS MONDAY MORNING FROM 1250 AM UNTIL 600 AM CDT. 

...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION... 

*PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE 

NUMEROUS INTENSE TORNADOES LIKELY 

NUMEROUS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH LIKELY 

NUMEROUS VERY LARGE HAIL TO 4 INCHES IN DIAMETER LIKELY 

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 100 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE 

FROM 15 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF FORT LEONARD WOOD MISSOURI TO 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HOT 

SPRINGS ARKANSAS. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE 

UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU2). 

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND SEVERE 

THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE 

LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE 

WARNINGS. 

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 237. WATCH 

NUMBER 237 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER 

1250 AM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 239...WW 240...WW 241...WW 242... 

DISCUSSION...SRN MO SQUALL LINE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE EWD...WHERE LONG/HOOKED HODOGRAPHS 

SUGGEST THREAT FOR EMBEDDED SUPERCELLS/POSSIBLE TORNADOES. FARTHER S...MORE WIDELY 

SCATTERED 

SUPERCELLS WITH A THREAT FOR TORNADOES WILL PERSIST IN VERY STRONGLY DEEP SHEARED/LCL 

ENVIRONMENT IN AR. 

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 4 

INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH 

MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26045. 

5. 

Status reports are issued as needed to show progress of storms and to delineate areas no longer under the 

threat of severe storm activity. Cancellation bulletins are issued when it becomes evident that no severe weather 

will develop or that storms have subsided and are no longer severe. 

h.  Center Weather Advisories (CWAs) 

1. 

CWAs are unscheduled inflight, flow control, air traffic, and air crew advisory. By nature of its short lead 

time, the CWA is not a flight planning product. It is generally a nowcast for conditions beginning within the next 

two hours. CWAs will be issued: 

Meteorology 

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