Southern TE'ers, looks like we're going to have a rough afternoon and evening. The NWS is not only predicting strong storms, but strong tornados!

Please stay alert, have an evacuation plan ready to implement, and take your pets with you--even if you think you'll only be gone for a short period. Here is the latest weather bulletin:

Special Weather Statement

ALCORN-BENTON MS-CALHOUN-CARROLL- CHESTER-CHICKASAW-CLAY-COAHOMA- CRAIGHEAD-CRITTENDEN-CROCKETT-CROSS- DESOTO-DECATUR-DUNKLIN-DYER- FAYETTE- GIBSON-GREENE-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-HAYWOOD- HENDERSON-HENRY- ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE- LAKE-LAUDERDALE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-LEE MS- MADISON- MARSHALL-MCNAIRY-MISSISSIPPI- MONROE-OBION-PANOLA-PEMISCOT- PHILLIPS- POINSETT-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-QUITMAN- RANDOLPH-SHELBY- ST. FRANCIS- TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-TIPTON- TISHOMINGO-TUNICA- UNION-WEAKLEY- YALOBUSHA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF... ABERDEEN...AMORY...BARTLETT... BATESVILLE...BLYTHEVILLE...BOLIVAR... BOONEVILLE... CARUTHERSVILLE... CLARKSDALE...COLLIERVILLE...CORINTH... COVINGTON...DRESDEN...DYERSBURG... FORREST CITY...GERMANTOWN... HARRISBURG...HELENA...HUMBOLDT... HUNTINGDON...IUKA...JACKSON... JONESBORO...KENNETT...LEXINGTON... MARTIN...MEMPHIS...MILAN... MILLINGTON...NEW ALBANY...OLIVE BRANCH...OXFORD...PARAGOULD... PARIS... SAVANNAH...SOMERVILLE...SOUTHAVEN... TUNICA...TUPELO... UNION CITY...WALNUT RIDGE...WEST MEMPHIS...WYNNE 1030 AM CST TUE FEB 5 2008
...HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE MIDSOUTH...

THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EASTERN ARKANSAS...THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL... WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. AREAS IN THE HIGH RISK ARE GENERALLY NORTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM LEXINGTON TENNESSEE TO OXFORD MISSISSIPPI. A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS LOCATED ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH...SOUTH AND EAST OF THIS LINE.

A WARM...MOIST...AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS IS ALREADY IN PLACE ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL SLOWLY APPROACH FROM THE WEST. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE OVER THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING LIKELY RESULTING IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES. THE POTENTIAL WILL ALSO EXIST FOR STRONG TORNADOES TO DEVELOP. AN ADDITIONAL LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT.

THE PRIMARY TIME FRAME FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE BETWEEN 2 PM CST AND 10 PM CST FOR AREAS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND BETWEEN 4 PM CST AND 2 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA AFTER 2 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING BRINGING AN END TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

ALL CITIZENS LIVING IN THE MIDSOUTH SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE LIKELIHOOD OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY AND TONIGHT. BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTIONS NECESSARY TO PROTECT YOURSELF IF SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR YOUR LOCATION. PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION.