SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF EXTREME NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA EXTREME NORTHEAST TENNESSEE SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA EXTREME SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA EFFECTIVE THIS SUNDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 945 AM UNTIL 300 PM EDT

        URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED     SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 441     NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK     945 AM EDT SUN JUL 1 2012          THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A     SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF                  EXTREME NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA            EXTREME NORTHEAST TENNESSEE            SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA            EXTREME SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA          EFFECTIVE THIS SUNDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 945 AM UNTIL 300     PM EDT.          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 40     STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES NORTH OF     BRISTOL TENNESSEE TO 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ROANOKE VIRGINIA.  FOR     A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH     OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU1).          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.          DISCUSSION...A CLUSTER OF ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING WILL     CONTINUE TO MOVE ESEWD TOWARD SW VA WITH AN ATTENDANT RISK FOR LARGE     HAIL.  THESE STORMS ARE EMBEDDED IN A BELT OF 35-45 KT MIDLEVEL     FLOW...WITH VERY STEEP MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATES OBSERVED IN 12Z     SOUNDINGS.  ONCE THE BOUNDARY LAYER WARMS INTO THE 90S ACROSS SW     VA/NW NC...CONVECTION WILL LIKELY BECOME SURFACE-BASED WITH THE     POTENTIAL FOR SOME UPSCALE GROWTH AND AN INCREASE IN DAMAGING WIND     POTENTIAL.          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 550. MEAN STORM     MOTION VECTOR 29035.               ...THOMPSON