WWUS20 KWNS 272303 SEL5 SPC WW 272303 COZ000-KSZ000-NMZ000-OKZ000-TXZ000-280600- URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 655 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 500 PM MDT THU SEP 27 2012 THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST COLORADO SOUTHWEST KANSAS NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO WESTERN OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE EFFECTIVE THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON FROM 500 PM UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT. HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 75 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 60 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF LA JUNTA COLORADO TO 45 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF GUYMON OKLAHOMA. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5). REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES. OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 654... DISCUSSION...AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE ACROSS CO WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ASCENT AND A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR STRONG TO SEVERE TSTMS ACROSS THE SERN CO AND ADJACENT NERN NM THIS EVENING. MOIST LOW LEVEL ELY/UPSLOPE FLOW WAS ALSO AIDING STORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND MOST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT ONE OR TWO SMALL TSTM CLUSTERS WILL GROW UPSCALE AND DEVELOP SEWD ACROSS SERN CO AND INTO PARTS OF SWRN KS AS WELL AS PORTIONS OF THE TX/OK PNHDLS THROUGH LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. IN ADDITION TO SOME INCREASE IN STRONG/DAMAGING WIND THREAT WITH THIS ACTIVITY...A BELT OF STRONGER MID LEVEL FLOW ON THE ORDER OF 30-40KT ACROSS THE CO/NM BORDER AREA WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT SHEAR FOR UPDRAFT PERSISTENCE AND A CHANCE FOR LARGE HAIL. AVIATION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 400. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 28030. ...CARBIN