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 181800 SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 18/12/2008 AT 1800 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 012/04 (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). GALE WARNING BEGINNING OF VALIDITY: THURSDAY 18/12/2008 AT 1800 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 4 (CINDA) 987 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF POINT 12.8S / 66.6E (TWELVE DECIMAL EIGHT DEGREES SOUTH AND SIXTY SIX DECIMAL SIX DEGREES EAST) AT 1800 UTC MOVEMENT: QUASI-STATIONARY THREAT AREAS: 5QUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 80 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTRE, EXTENDING UP TO 300 NM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/45 KT AND VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 40 NM IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 50 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTRE EXTENDING UP TO 110 NM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANT AND UP TO 130 NM IN SOUTHWESTERN QUADRANT. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2008/12/19 AT 06 UTC: 13.9S / 66.2E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2008/12/19 AT 18 UTC: 15.2S / 64.4E, MAX WIND = 30 KT, TROP. DEPRESSION. OTHER INFORMATIONS: CINDA SHOWS SIGNS OF WEAKENING ON THE SATELLITE IMAGERY, AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS START TO DETERIORATE. THE SYSTEM IS QUASI-STATIONNARY SINCE 18/0900Z BUT IS EXPECTED RO RECURVE SOUTHWESTWARDS AS IT UNDERGOES THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURES STEERING FLOW. STRONGER WINDS EXTEND FURTHER IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE, DUE TO THE GRADIENT EFFECT WITH THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURES. WINDS EXTENSION HAS BEEN RECALIBRATED THANKS TO LAST AVAILABLE SATELLITE DATA.