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 041800 SECURITE GALE WARNING FOR METAREA VII AND METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 04/02/2009 AT 1800 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 012/08 (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 1800 UTC. PHENOMENON: MODERATE TROPICAL STORM 8 (GAEL) 988 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF POINT 17.9S / 59.0E (SEVENTEEN DECIMAL NINE DEGREES SOUTH AND FIFTY NINE DECIMAL ZERO DEGREES EAST) AT 1800 UTC MOVEMENT: WEST 9 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 200 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 310 NM IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUADRANT WITHIN PERIPHERAL BANDS AND UP TO 580 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI CIRCLE. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/44 KT AND VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTRE. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 100 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 130 NM IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT AND UP TO 160 NM IN THE NORTHWESTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANTS. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/02/05 AT 06 UTC: 18.2S / 57.0E, MAX WIND = 60 KT, SEVERE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2009/02/05 AT 18 UTC: 18.4S / 54.9E, MAX WIND = 70 KT, TROPICAL CYCLONE. OTHER INFORMATIONS: GAEL INTENSIFIES REGULARY AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MAINTAINS NEAR THE CENTER AS ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS GRADUALLY IMPROVE. SLOW DEVELOPMENT IS THEREFORE STILL EXPECTED ON A GLOBALLY WESTWARDS TRACK FOR THE NEST 36 H.