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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WTIO20 FMEE 191800 SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 19/10/2008 AT 1800 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 014/02 (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: SUNDAY 19/10/2008 AT 1800 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 2 (ASMA) 996 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF POINT 11.3S / 63.4E (ELEVEN DECIMAL THREE DEGREES SOUTH AND SIXTY THREE DECIMAL FOUR DEGREES EAST) AT 1800 UTC MOVEMENT: SOUTH-WEST 9 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 200 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTRE, MAINLY IN THE SOUTHWESTERN SEMI-CERCLE, EXTENDING LOCALLY UP TO 450 NM FROM THE CENTER IN THE SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANT. CLOCKWISE CIRCULATION 25/30KT AND ROUGH SEAS AROUND THE CENTER, REACHING NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 35KT AND VERY ROUGH SEAS NEAR THE CENTER, BUT ALSO FAR FROM THE CENTER WITHIN A BELT LOCATED BETWEEN 100NM AND 250NM IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2008/10/20 AT 06 UTC: 12.1S / 62.0E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2008/10/20 AT 18 UTC: 12.6S / 60.4E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: THE CENTRE HAS COME CLOSER TO THE THUNDERY ACTIVITY, AND ORGANIZATION OF THE DEEP CONVECTION IS IMPROVING. THE GALE FORCE WINDS THRESOLD, WHICH CARACTERIZES THE TROPICAL STORM STAGE AND THE NAMING OF THE SYSTEM, IS NOW REACHED. STRONGEST WINDS ARE LOCATED FAR FROM THE CENTER IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRLE MAINLY. THIS SYSTEM SHOULD TRACK GLOBALLY SOUTHWESTWARDS, AND CURVE MORE WESTWARDS ITS TRACK, AND INTENSIFY SLOWLY.