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 040600 SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 04/02/2009 AT 0600 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 010/08 (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 0600 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 8 (GAEL) 995 HPA POSITION: 17.8S / 60.6E (SEVENTEEN DECIMAL EIGHT DEGREES SOUTH AND SIXTY DECIMAL SIX DEGREES EAST) AT 0600 UTC MOVEMENT: WEST 10 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 250 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 300 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 90 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 110 NM IN THE NORTHWESTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANTS AND UP TO 160 NM IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/02/04 AT 18 UTC: 17.9S / 58.8E, MAX WIND = 35 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2009/02/05 AT 06 UTC: 18.0S / 56.5E, MAX WIND = 40 KT, MODERATE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MAINTAINS NEAR THE CENTER BUT GAEL STILL UNDERGOES A SOUTHEASTERLY CONSTRAINT. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY IMPROVE, MAINLY BEYOND THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SLOW DEVELOPMENT IS THEREFORE STILL EXPECTED ON A GLOBALLY MORE WESTWARDS TRACK.