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 170000 SECURITE NEAR GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 17/12/2008 AT 0000 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 005/04 (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: WEDNESDAY 17/12/2008 AT 0000 UTC. PHENOMENON: TROPICAL DEPRESSION 4 999 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF POINT 10.8S / 66.9E (TEN DECIMAL EIGHT DEGREES SOUTH AND SIXTY SIX DECIMAL NINE DEGREES EAST) AT 0000 UTC MOVEMENT: SOUTH-WEST 7 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 90 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTRE, EXTENDING UP TO 200 NM IN THE EASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE AND ALSO WITHIN A CONVERGENCE AREA BETWEEN 5S TO 12S FROM 71E TO 84E. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 20 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2008/12/17 AT 12 UTC: 11.9S / 66.2E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2008/12/18 AT 00 UTC: 12.7S / 65.4E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: THUNDERY ACTIVITY EXISTS AND MAINTAINS NEAR THE CENTER. STRONGER WINDS EXTEND IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE, DUE TO THE GRADIENT EFFECT WITH THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURES. THIS LOW IS NOT EXPECTED TO DEEPEN SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN THE NEXT 72 HOURS, IT COULD HOWEVER REACH THE MINIMAL TROPICAL STORM STAGE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.