Direction Interrégionale de LA REUNION
B.P.4    97491 Ste Clotilde Cedex
Téléphone                02.62.92.11.00
Fax exploitation      02.62.92.11.48
Fax direction           02.62.92.11.47

WTIO20 FMEE 230600 SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 23/11/2007 AT 0600 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 020/03 (SOUTH-WEST INDIAN OCEAN) 10 MINUTES AVERAGE WIND SPEED IN KNOTS (KT) (WIND GUSTS AT SEA MAY BE ABOUT 40% STRONGER THAN THE AVERAGED WIND). MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IN HECTOPASCALS (HPA) (INDICATIVE FIGURE). GALE WARNING BEGINNING OF VALIDITY: FRIDAY 23/11/2007 AT 0600 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 3 (BONGWE) 991 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 20 NM RADIUS OF POINT 13.7S / 68.8E (THIRTEEN DECIMAL SEVEN DEGREES SOUTH AND SIXTY EIGHT DECIMAL EIGHT DEGREES EAST) AT 0600 UTC MOVEMENT: WEST-NORTH-WEST 5 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 50 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 250 NM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANT. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/40 KT AND VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS WITHIN 20 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTRE EXTENDING UP TO 40 NM IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 40 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 65 NM IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUADRANT AND UP TO 80 NM IN THE SOUTEASTERN QUADRANT. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2007/11/23 AT 18 UTC: 13.6S / 67.4E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2007/11/24 AT 06 UTC: 13.5S / 65.9E, MAX WIND = 30 KT, TROP. DEPRESSION. OTHER INFORMATIONS: AFTER HAVING WEAKENED OVER THE SAME PLACE,"BONGWE" IS NOW TRACKING SLOWLY WESTWARDS. IT SHOULD WEAKEN AGAIN DUE TO INTENSIFYING NORTHWEST UPPER LEVEL WINDS, WHICH DESORGANIZE DEEP CONVECTION (THUNDRESTORM ACTIVITY) AND PUSHES IT SOUTHEASTWARDS. BEYOND 2 DAYS, A WEAKNESS IN THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE SHOULD ALLOW THE SYSTEM TO TURN MORE SOUTHWESTWARDS.