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 200000 SECURITE NEAR GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 20/11/2008 AT 0000 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 4/3 (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). NEAR GALE WARNING BEGINNING OF VALIDITY: THURSDAY 20/11/2008 AT 0000 UTC. PHENOMENON: TROPICAL DEPRESSION 3 998 HPA POSITION: 9.8S / 82.7E (NINE DECIMAL EIGHT DEGREES SOUTH AND EIGHTY TWO DECIMAL SEVEN DEGREES EAST) AT 0000 UTC MOVEMENT: EAST-SOUTH-EAST 15 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 100 NM FROM THE CENTRE, EXTENDING UP TO 200 NM IN THE EASTERN SECTOR CLOCKWISE CIRCULATION 20/25 KT AND MODERATE TO ROUGH SEAS, REACHING NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WHITHIN 30NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, MAINLY IN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN SECTORS. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2008/11/20 AT 12 UTC: 9.9S / 84.5E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2008/11/21 AT 00 UTC: 9.4S / 87.8E, MAX WIND = 40 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: THE SYSTEM IS ACCELERATING EASTWARDS, WHILE INTENSIFYING VERY SLOWLY. IT SHOULD CROSS THE 90TH EASTERN PARALLEL ON THE FRIDAY 21TH. THE ACTIVE CLOUD CLUSTER IS SMALL, DEVELOPPED DURING THE LAST HOURS AS A CENTRAL DENSE OVERCAST. THE LOCATION OC THE LOW LEVEL CENTER AS BEEN ESTIMATED (WITHOUT CERTAINTY) UNDER THIS CLUSTER. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS REMAIN MODERATLY FAVORABLE FOR INTENSIFICATION DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS, AND IT COULD REACH, VERY TEMPORARILLY, THE TROPICAL STORM INTENSITY. BEYOND, UPPER LEVEL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (MAINLY INTENSIFYING NORTHERLY WINDS) SHOULD NOT ALLOW THE SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN ITS INTENSITY. THE FORECAST IS