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 080600 PAN PAN HURRICANE WARNING FOR METAREA VII AND METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 08/02/2009 AT 0600 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 027/08 (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: SUNDAY 08/02/2009 AT 0600 UTC. PHENOMENON: INTENSE TROPICAL CYCLONE 8 (GAEL) 940 HPA POSITION: 22.9S / 53.0E (TWENTY TWO DECIMAL NINE DEGREES SOUTH AND FIFTY THREE DECIMAL ZERO DEGREES EAST) AT 0600 UTC MOVEMENT: SOUTH-SOUTH-EAST 11 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 180 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTRE EXTENDING BETWEEN 200 NM AND 350 NM IN THE EASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE WITHIN A PERIPHERIC BAND AND LOCALLY UP TO 500 NM EAST OF 55E. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS 65/90 KT AND PHENOMENAL SEAS WITHIN 30 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER. STORM FORCE WINDS 50/60 KT AND VERY HIGH TO PHENOMENAL SEAS WITHIN 60 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO100 MN IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT AND UP TO 80 NM IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUADRANT. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/45 KT VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS WITHIN 120 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 150 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 210 NM IN THE EASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE AND UP TO 240 NM IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUADRANT. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/02/08 AT 18 UTC: 25.3S / 53.8E, MAX WIND = 80 KT, TROPICAL CYCLONE. 24H, VALID 2009/02/09 AT 06 UTC: 27.8S / 55.1E, MAX WIND = 70 KT, TROPICAL CYCLONE. OTHER INFORMATIONS: GAEL MAINTAINS ITS INTENSITY. CURRENT MOTION AND SPEED: 150°/11KT. WINDS EXTENSION HAVE BEEN CALIBRATED THANKS TO RECENT SATELLITE DATA. THE SYSTEM GENERATES A 3M TO 5M SWELL ON AVERAGE ALONG THE EASTERN MALAGASY AND THE ISLANDS OF LA REUNION AND MAURITIUS COASTLINES. IT IS GOING TO KEEP ON SPEEDING UP SOUTH-SOUTHEASTWARDS AND WEAKEN WITHIN A LESS AND LESS FAVOURABLE ENVIRONMENT.