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 060600 PAN PAN HURRICANE WARNING FOR METAREA VII AND METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 06/02/2009 AT 0600 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 019/08 (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). HURRICANE WARNING BEGINNING OF VALIDITY: FRIDAY 06/02/2009 AT 0600 UTC. PHENOMENON: TROPICAL CYCLONE 8 (GAEL) 955 HPA POSITION: WITHIN 20 NM RADIUS OF POINT 18.4S / 53.1E (EIGHTEEN DECIMAL FOUR DEGREES SOUTH AND FIFTY THREE DECIMAL ONE DEGREES EAST) AT 0600 UTC MOVEMENT: WEST 8 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 150 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTRE EXTENDING UP TO 300 NM IN THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS 65/70 KT AND PHENOMENAL SEAS CLOSE TO CENTRE. STORM FORCE WINDS 50/60 KT AND VERY HIGH TO PHENOMENAL SEAS WITHIN 25 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTRE, EXTENDING UP TO 30 NM IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/45 KT VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS WITHIN 60 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTRE EXTENDING UP TO 100 NM IN THE EASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE . NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 130 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 160 NM IN THE EASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/02/06 AT 18 UTC: 18.8S / 51.8E, MAX WIND = 90 KT, INTENSE TROP. CYCL.. 24H, VALID 2009/02/07 AT 06 UTC: 19.9S / 50.9E, MAX WIND = 100 KT, INTENSE TROP. CYCL.. OTHER INFORMATIONS: GAEL IS STILL INTENSIFYING WITHIN A FAVOURABLE ENVIRONMENT. CURRENT MOTION AND SPEED: 270/08 KT NO MAJOR CHANGE IN THE PRESENT FORECAST SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO RECURVE SOUTHWESTWARDS WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND THEN SOUTHWARDS BEYOND THAT TIME, REGULARLY INTENSIFYING.