Direction Interrégionale de LA REUNION
B.P.4    97491 Ste Clotilde Cedex
Téléphone                02.62.92.11.00
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WTIO22 FMEE 051800 SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VII AND METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 05/03/2008 AT 1800 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 005/12 (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: WEDNESDAY 05/03/2008 AT 1800 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 12 (JOKWE) 990 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF POINT 12.0S / 50.0E (TWELVE DECIMAL ZERO DEGREES SOUTH AND FIFTY DECIMAL ZERO DEGREES EAST) AT 1800 UTC MOVEMENT: WEST 8 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 100 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTRE, EXTENDING UP TO 200 NM IN THE WESTERN SEMI-CIRCLE, AND BETWEEN 270 NM AND 450 NM FROM THE CENTER TO THE SOUTH IN SOME THUNDERSTRORMY ULTRA-PERIFERIC BANDS. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/45KT AND VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, REACHING LOCALLY 50 KT IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI CIRCLE. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30KT AND ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 45 NM FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 70 NM FROM THE CENTRE IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2008/03/06 AT 06 UTC: 12.5S / 47.8E, MAX WIND = 45 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2008/03/06 AT 18 UTC: 13.3S / 45.4E, MAX WIND = 50 KT, SEVERE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: THIS IS A SMALL SYSTEM, WITH A POOR EXTENSION OF STRONG WINDS. IT SHOULD TRACK OVER THE DIEGO SUAREZ BAY LATER TONIGHT, THEN GO BACK RAPIDLY OVER SEAS, WHERE IT SHOULD GO ON INTENSIFYING AS IT SOULD TRACK SOUTH OF COMOROS ISLANDS. STRONGEST WINDS ARE LOCATED IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE OF THE SYSTEM DUE TO THE GRADIENT EFFECT WITH THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURES AND TO ITS RAPID MOTION.