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 301800 CCA *************** CORRECTIVE ************** SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 30/01/2008 AT 1800 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 018/09 (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 SEAS LEVEL PRESSURE IN HECTOPASCALS (HPA) (INDICATIVE FIGURE). GALE WARNING BEGINNING OF VALIDITY: WEDNESDAY 30/01/2008 AT 1800 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 9 (GULA) 990 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF POINT 17.8S / 60.1E (SEVENTEEN DECIMAL EIGHT DEGREES SOUTH AND SIXTY DECIMAL ONE DEGREES EAST) AT 1800 UTC MOVEMENT: SOUTH-SOUTH-WEST 8 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS MAINLI IN THE NORTHWESTERN SEMI-CIRCLE, EXTENDING LOCALLY UP TO 250 NM FROM THE CENTER. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/40 KT AND VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS WITHIN 20 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTRE, EXTENDING LOCALLY UP TO 90 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 50 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 100 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2008/01/31 AT 06 UTC: 20.2S / 59.5E, MAX WIND = 40 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2008/01/31 AT 18 UTC: 22.4S / 58.6E, MAX WIND = 45 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: RELOCALISATION OF THE CENTER HAS BEEN MADE AFTER REANALYSIS OF ALL AVAILABLE DATA. LATEST MICROWAVE IMAGERY (TRMM PASS AT 1357Z AND WINDSAT AT 1410Z) DO NOT DEPICTED A "GOOD HEALTHY" LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION (37 GHZ) DESPITE THE RECENT BURST OF DEEP CONVECTION CLOSE TO THE CENTER. THESE DATA SHOW THAT GULA HAS TRACKED MORE SOUTHWARDS DURING THE LAST HOURS. GULA IS NOW UNDER THE STEERING FLOW GENERATED BY THE MIDLEVEL SUBTROPICAL RIDGE IN THE EAST (AFTER THE WEAKENING OF THE NEAR EQUATORIAL RIDGE WHICH WAS LOCATED TO THE NORTHWEST) WINDS EXTANSION HAS BEEN ADJUSTED BASED ON LATEST SAINT BRANDON OBSERVATIONS (35 KT AT 17:00 UTC)