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 040000 SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 04/02/2009 AT 0000 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 009/08 (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: WEDNESDAY 04/02/2009 AT 0000 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 8 (GAEL) 995 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF POINT 17.8S / 61.9E (SEVENTEEN DECIMAL EIGHT DEGREES SOUTH AND SIXTY ONE DECIMAL NINE DEGREES EAST) AT 0000 UTC MOVEMENT: WEST-SOUTH-WEST 8 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 100 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 300 NM IN THE SOUTWESTERN QUADRANT AND UP TO 350 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI CIRCLE. GALE FORCE WINDS 35 KT NEAR THE CENTER AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 80 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 150 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/02/04 AT 12 UTC: 18.0S / 59.7E, MAX WIND = 40 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2009/02/05 AT 00 UTC: 18.0S / 57.6E, MAX WIND = 50 KT, SEVERE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS RESTART NEAR THE CENTER AND SYSTEM HAS STRENGHEN A LITTLE BIT. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SLOW DEVELOPMENT IS STILL EXPECTED ON A GLOBALLY MORE WESTWARDS TRACK.