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

WTIO22 FMEE 180600 SECURITE NEAR GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VII AND METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 18/01/2009 AT 0600 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 003/06 (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). NEAR GALE WARNING BEGINNING OF VALIDITY: SUNDAY 18/01/2009 AT 0600 UTC. PHENOMENON: TROPICAL DEPRESSION 6 998 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF POINT 16.2S / 51.7E (SIXTEEN DECIMAL TWO DEGREES SOUTH AND FIFTY ONE DECIMAL SEVEN DEGREES EAST) AT 0600 UTC MOVEMENT: WEST-SOUTH-WEST 9 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXTENDS WITHIN 120 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 250 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 20 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/01/18 AT 18 UTC: 17.2S / 50.8E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2009/01/19 AT 06 UTC: 18.8S / 49.8E, MAX WIND = 40 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: SYSTEM IS INTENSIFYING RATHER SLOWLY. IT IS EXPECTED TO RECURVE GENERALLY SOUTHWESTWARDS THEN SOUTHWARDS TOWARDS A WEAKNESS IN THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE LOCATED SOUTH OF MADAGASCAR. IT SHOULD PROGRESSIVELY INTENSIFY AND COULD REACH THE SEVERE TROPICAL STORM STAGE.