NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is responsible for issuing severe thunderstorm and tornado watches across the United States. A watch means that conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms or tornadoes over the next several hours.

Between 2015 and 2024, the SPC issued an average of 588 watches per year—about 70 percent of those were severe thunderstorm watches, with tornado watches making up the remaining 30 percent.

The phrase "particularly dangerous situation" (PDS) is enhanced wording added to severe weather watches in the United States when significant severe weather is expected.

Forecasters with the SPC issue several PDS watches each year for predicted severe thunderstorm or tornado outbreaks. The SPC issued about 5 PDS watches per year between 2015 and 2024.

The SPC issues a PDS Severe Thunderstorm Watch ahead of derechos—squall lines producing widespread wind damage—or when severe thunderstorms are expected to produce widespread destructive hail (usually baseball size or larger).

The SPC issues a PDS Tornado Watch when forecasters are confident that the environment is capable of supporting multiple intense tornadoes, producing damage equivalent to an EF-2 or stronger on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Local National Weather Service offices also have the leeway to append "particularly dangerous situation" to localized alerts, such as flash flood watches or red flag warnings during instances of extreme fire danger.

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 46
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
250 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Tornado Watch for portions of
Eastern and South-Central Arkansas
Southern Illinois
Southwest Indiana
Western Kentucky
Southeast Missouri
Northern Mississippi
Western Tennessee

* Effective this Wednesday afternoon from 250 PM until Midnight CDT.

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

* Primary threats include...
–Several tornadoes and a few intense tornadoes likely
–Widespread damaging winds and isolated significant gusts to 80 mph likely
–Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2 inches in diameter possible

SUMMARY...Storms are expected to develop this afternoon initially across the ArkLaMiss and Mid-South, with the overall environment becoming increasingly favorable for tornadoes through late afternoon into early/mid-evening. Some of these tornadoes may be strong or intense (EF3+), with widespread damaging winds also likely across the region by evening. This is a Particularly Dangerous Situation with intense storms expected over a relatively broad regional area, with multiple rounds of severe storms possible in some areas.

The tornado watch area is approximately along and 90 statute miles east and west of a line from 55 miles southeast of Pine Bluff AR to 30 miles northwest of Evansville IN. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU8).