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 051200 SECURITE STORM WARNING FOR METAREA VII AND METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 05/02/2009 AT 1200 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 016/08 (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). STORM WARNING BEGINNING OF VALIDITY: THURSDAY 05/02/2009 AT 1200 UTC. PHENOMENON: SEVERE TROPICAL STORM 8 (GAEL) 980 HPA POSITION: 18.3S / 56.0E (EIGHTEEN DECIMAL THREE DEGREES SOUTH AND FIFTY SIX DECIMAL ZERO DEGREES EAST) AT 1200 UTC MOVEMENT: WEST-SOUTH-WEST 10 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 90 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTRE EXTENDING UP TO 300 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE AND VERY LOCALLY UP TO 400 NM IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUADRANT. STORM WINDS 50 KT AND VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS RADIUS 20 NM OF THE CENTRE. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/45 KT VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS WITHIN 60 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTRE EXTENDING UP TO 150 NM IN THE NORTHEASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE . NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 120 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 210 NM IN THE NORTHEASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/02/06 AT 00 UTC: 18.7S / 54.0E, MAX WIND = 60 KT, SEVERE TROP. STORM. 24H, VALID 2009/02/06 AT 12 UTC: 19.1S / 52.3E, MAX WIND = 70 KT, TROPICAL CYCLONE. OTHER INFORMATIONS: GAEL IS TRACKING AT THE CLOSEST POINT OF APPROACH OF LA REUNION, NORTH OF THE ISLAND. IT IS INTENSIFIING MORE REGULARY, AS ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS GRADUALLY IMPROVE IN THE UPPER LEVELS. SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO KEEPS ON TRACKING GLOBALLY WEST-SOUTHWESTWARDS WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND IS EXPECTED TO RECURVE SOUTHWESTWARDS BEYOND AND TO KEEP ON INTENSIFIING.