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
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WTIO22 FMEE 220000 SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VII AND METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 22/03/2008 AT 0000 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 005/14 (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: SATURDAY 22/03/2008 AT 0000 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 14 (LOLA) 994 HPA POSITION: 16.0S / 59.3E (SIXTEEN DECIMAL ZERO DEGREES SOUTH AND FIFTY NINE DECIMAL THREE DEGREES EAST) AT 0000 UTC MOVEMENT: SOUTH-WEST 5 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER WITHIN 200 NM FROM THE CENTER MAINLY IN THE SOUTHWESTERN SEMI-CIRCLE. CLOCKWISE CIRCULATION 20/25 KT AND MODERATE TO ROUGH SEAS REACHING NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS FAR FROM THE CENTER IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE, UP TO 90 NM FROM THE CENTER, AND LOCALLY GALE FORCE WINDS 35KT IN THE SOUTHWESTERN SECTOR. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2008/03/22 AT 12 UTC: 16.6S / 58.1E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2008/03/23 AT 00 UTC: 16.8S / 57.0E, MAX WIND = 40 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES REMAIN LOW AND THE GRADIENT IS WEAK IN THE CENTER OF THE CIRCULATION (SO WINDS NEAR THE CENTER ARE RATHER WEAK). THE CENTER IS ESTIMATED LOCATED ON THE NORTHEASTERN EDGE OF THE ACTIVE CLOUD CLUSTER. THE MSLP IS ESTIMATED AT 994 HPA, REFEERRING TO ST-BRANDON SLP 995,2 HPA AT 2300UTC. GALE FORCE WINDS, JUSTIFYING THE NAMING, EXIST ONLY IN THE SOUTH, RATHER FAR FROM THE CENTER (DUE TO THE GRADIENT EFFECT WITH THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURES) AND UNDER DEEP CONVECTION (SQUALLS). ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. SOME FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED AS THIS SYSTEM SHOULD TRACK WESTSOUTHWESTWARDS THEN WEST-NORTHWESTWARDS DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS ON THE NORTHERN EDGE OF SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURES.