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 070000 PAN PAN HURRICANE WARNING FOR METAREA VII AND METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 07/02/2009 AT 0000 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 022/08 (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: SATURDAY 07/02/2009 AT 0000 UTC. PHENOMENON: INTENSE TROPICAL CYCLONE 8 (GAEL) 941 HPA POSITION: 19.5S / 51.8E (NINETEEN DECIMAL FIVE DEGREES SOUTH AND FIFTY ONE DECIMAL EIGHT DEGREES EAST) AT 0000 UTC MOVEMENT: SOUTH-WEST 3 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 220 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTRE EXTENDING UP TO 450 NM IN THE NORTH-WESTERN SECTOR. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS 65/90 KT AND PHENOMENAL SEAS WITHIN 20 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER. STORM FORCE WINDS 50/60 KT AND VERY HIGH TO PHENOMENAL SEAS WITHIN 40 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 50 NM IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN SECTOR. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/45 KT VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS WITHIN 100 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 120 NM IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN SECTOR . NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 190 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 220 NM IN THE SOUTH-WESTERN SECTOR. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/02/07 AT 12 UTC: 21.0S / 51.6E, MAX WIND = 100 KT, INTENSE TROP. CYCL.. 24H, VALID 2009/02/08 AT 00 UTC: 22.2S / 51.9E, MAX WIND = 100 KT, INTENSE TROP. CYCL.. OTHER INFORMATIONS: GAEL HAS STOPPED ITS INTENSIFICATION DURING THE LAST HOURS. BUT THE SYSTEM SHOULD STILL INTENSIFYING IN A FAVOURABLE ENVIRONMENT DURING AT LEAST THE 12 NEXT HOURS, AND REACH ITS MAXIMUM OF INTENSITY AT THE STAGE OF INTENSE TROPICAL CYCLONE SATURDAY AROUND MIDDAY. IT TRACKS NOW SOUTH-WESTWARDS.