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 051800 PAN PAN HURRICANE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 05/02/2008 AT 1800 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 007/10 (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). HURRICANE WARNING BEGINNING OF VALIDITY: TUESDAY 05/02/2008 AT 1800 UTC. PHENOMENON: TROPICAL CYCLONE 10 (HONDO) 975 HPA POSITION: 13.9S / 81.1E (THIRTEEN DECIMAL NINE DEGREES SOUTH AND EIGHTY ONE DECIMAL ONE DEGREES EAST) AT 1800 UTC MOVEMENT: SOUTH-EAST 3 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WHITHIN 100 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 240 NM IN THE NORTHWESTERN QUADRANT WITHIN A PERIPHERAL BAND. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS AND VERY HIGH SEAS WITHIN 15 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER STORM FORCE WINDS AND HIGH TO VERY HIGH SEAS WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/45 KT AND VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 50 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 80 NM IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 80 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 110 NM IN THE SOUTHWESTERN AND NORTHEASTERN QUADRANTS AND UP TO 160 NM IN SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANT. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2008/02/06 AT 06 UTC: 14.0S / 81.4E, MAX WIND = 65 KT, TROPICAL CYCLONE. 24H, VALID 2008/02/06 AT 18 UTC: 14.1S / 82.1E, MAX WIND = 70 KT, TROPICAL CYCLONE. OTHER INFORMATIONS: "HONDO" IS A SMALL SIZE SYSTEM WHICH HAS INTENSIFIED QUICKLY, AND HAS REACHED THE MINIMAL STAGE OF TROPICAL CYCLONE AT MID-DAY. THE EYE HAS DISEAPPEARED ON INFRA-RED IMAGERY AND CONVECTION IS WEAKENING, BUT THIS APPARENT WEAKENING IS TOO RECENT TO HAVE BEEN TRANSMITED TO THE LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION, SO THE SYSTEM REMAINS ESTIMATED AT THE TROPICAL CYCLONE INTENSITY. IT IS EXPECTED TO KEEPS ON TRACKING VERY SLOWLY GLOBALLY EAST-SOUTHEASTWARDS WITHIN THE NEXT 36 HOURS AND THEN SLIGHTLY ACCELERATING ON THIS TRACK -VERY GOOD AGREEMENT OF THE NUMERICAL MODELS). ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN FAVORABLE , SO "HONDO" SHOULD SLOWLY INTENSIFY. WINDS EXTENSION HAS BEEN RECALIBRED THANKS TO QUIKSCAT DATA AT 1219Z. MSLP IS HIGHER THAN USUAL DUE TO THE SMALL SIZE OF THE SYSTEM.