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 091800 PAN PAN HURRICANE WARNING FOR METAREA VII AND METAREA VIII (S) ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 09/02/2009 AT 1800 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 033/08 (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: MONDAY 09/02/2009 AT 1800 UTC. PHENOMENON: TROPICAL CYCLONE 8 (GAEL) 970 HPA POSITION: 30.9S / 59.4E (THIRTY DECIMAL NINE DEGREES SOUTH AND FIFTY NINE DECIMAL FOUR DEGREES EAST) AT 1800 UTC MOVEMENT: SOUTH-EAST 20 KT THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 250 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTRE, EXTENDING UP TO 350 NM IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT AND UP TO 500 NM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANT. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS 65 KT AND PHENOMENAL SEAS WITHIN 20 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER. STORM FORCE WINDS 50/60 KT AND VERY HIGH TO PHENOMENAL SEAS WITHIN 50 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER EXTENDING UP TO 80 MN IN THE EASTERN SEMI-CIRCLE, AND UP TO 120 NM IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUADRANT. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/45 KT VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEAS WITHIN 150 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 200 NM IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. NEAR GALE FORCE WINDS 30 KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEAS WITHIN 210 NM RADIUS FROM THE CENTER , EXTENDING UP TO 300 NM IN THE SOUTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/02/10 AT 06 UTC: 32.5S / 61.5E, MAX WIND = 50 KT, EXTRATROPICAL. 24H, VALID 2009/02/10 AT 18 UTC: 33.0S / 63.0E, MAX WIND = 50 KT, EXTRATROPICAL. OTHER INFORMATIONS: GAEL IS WEAKENING WITHIN AN UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONEMENT: NORTH-WESTERLY UPPER LEVEL WIND SHEAR AND COOLER SEAS (23°C). WINDS EXTENSION HAS BEEN CALIBRATED THANKS TO RECENT SATELLITE DATA. GAEL MOVES NOW SOUTH-EASTWARDS IN THE SUBTROPICAL DOMAIN BUT IT KEEPS TROPICAL FEATURES WITH STRONGER WINDS CLOSE TO THE LOW LEVEL CENTER. IT IS EXPECTED TO TRACK SLOWLY DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS DUE TO THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURES BUILDING IN THE SOUTHWEST OF THE SYSTEM.