Watching the Skies

OK so the weather radio just put a stop to my sleep tonight. Glad I woke up though, this one is a big one. Line of severe storms is producing very strong to severe winds, moving SSE at 35 knots. The storms are 15 miles north so this puts an ETA of around 25 minutes, or 6:05am. Again, these storms are putting out winds of up to 65 knots, I can definitely verify this on radar.  There is also rotation in one of the storms approaching our area so be advised this storm is extremely strong. The SPC also notes this bow echo storm is a possible derecho. Warning and watch details below:

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
533 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
COLLIN COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS…
GRAYSON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS…

* UNTIL 630 AM CDT

* AT 533 AM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE
HAIL…AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE
LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM BELLS TO 5 MILES SOUTH OF
COLLINSVILLE…AND MOVING SOUTH AT 30 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR…
TOM BEAN…HOWE AND GUNTER BY 540 AM
WHITEWRIGHT BY 545 AM
VAN ALSTYNE BY 550 AM
CELINA AND ANNA BY 600 AM
PROSPER BY 610 AM
MCKINNEY AND FRISCO BY 620 AM

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO A STURDY SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.

URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 252
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
530 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF

SOUTHWESTERN ARKANSAS
NORTHWESTERN LOUISIANA
SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA
NORTH-CENTRAL…NORTHEASTERN AND EASTERN TEXAS

EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 530 AM UNTIL
100 PM CDT.

HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER…THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 80
MPH…AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 60
STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 55 MILES WEST
SOUTHWEST OF ARDMORE OKLAHOMA TO 60 MILES NORTHEAST OF
NATCHITOCHES LOUISIANA. FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH
SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU2).

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…THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REPLACES
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 249. WATCH NUMBER 249 WILL NOT
BE IN EFFECT AFTER 530 AM CDT. CONTINUE…WW 248…WW 251…

DISCUSSION…INCREASINGLY WELL-ORGANIZED BOW ECHO IN FORMER WW 249
IS BEGINNING TO PRODUCE SVR GUSTS ABOVE 50 KT AS IT MOVES OVER AND S
OF SFC WARM FRONT OUTLINED IN MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 727. THIS MCS
SHOULD CONTINUE TO SURGE SEWD WITH POTENTIAL FOR SWATH OF DAMAGING
WIND…POSSIBLE DERECHO…OVER PORTIONS WW AREA. COUNTY WW AREA
FANS OUTWARD WITH SEWD EXTENT TO ACCOUNT FOR POTENTIAL
SPREAD/EXPANSION OF DRIVING COLD POOL.

AVIATION…A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT
TO 1 INCH. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS.
A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 600. MEAN STORM MOTION
VECTOR 30040.