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 031800 SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 03/02/2009 AT 1800 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 008/08 (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: TUESDAY 03/02/2009 AT 1800 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 8 (GAEL) 997 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF POINT 17.7S / 62.6E (SEVENTEEN DECIMAL SEVEN DEGREES SOUTH AND SIXTY TWO DECIMAL SIX DEGREES EAST) AT 1800 UTC MOVEMENT: WEST-SOUTH-WEST 10 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 100 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 250 NM IN THE SOUTWESTERN QUADRANT AND UP TO 350 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI CIRCLE. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 80 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 180 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE LOCALLY REACHING GALE FORCE WINDS 35 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 60 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/02/04 AT 06 UTC: 18.0S / 60.6E, MAX WIND = 40 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2009/02/04 AT 18 UTC: 18.3S / 58.5E, MAX WIND = 50 KT, SEVERE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS RESTART NEAR THE CENTER OVER THE NORTHERN SEMI CIRCLE OVER THE LAST 6 HOURS. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SLOW DEVELOPMENT IS STILL EXPECTED ON A GLOBALLY WESTSOUTHWESTWARDS TO PROGRESSIVELY MORE WESTWARDS TRACK.