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

WTIO24 FMEE 251800 SECURITE STORM WARNING FOR METAREA VII ISSUED BY METEO-FRANCE/TROPICAL CYCLONE CENTRE/LA REUNION 25/03/2009 AT 1800 UTC. WARNING NUMBER: 007/11 (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: WEDNESDAY 25/03/2009 AT 1800 UTC. PHENOMENON: SEVERE TROPICAL STORM 11 (IZILDA) 978 HPA POSITION: 23.7S / 42.5E (TWENTY THREE DECIMAL SEVEN DEGREES SOUTH AND FORTY TWO DECIMAL FIVE DEGREES EAST) AT 1800 UTC MOVEMENT: QUASI-STATIONARY THREAT AREAS: SQUALLY WEATHER EXISTS WITHIN 70 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 150 NM OF THE CENTER IN THE SOUTHERN SMI-CIRCLE. STORM FORCE WINDS AND HIGH SEAS WITHIN 20 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER. GALE FORCE WINDS 35/45KT AND VERY ROUGH TO HIGH SEA WITHIN 50 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER NEAR GALE FORCE 30KT AND ROUGH TO VERY ROUGH SEA WITHIN 70 NM RADIUS OF THE CENTER, EXTENDING UP TO 120 NM IN THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE AND UP TO 200 NM IN THE SOUTHWESTERN QUADRANT. STRONG GUSTS UNDER SQUALLS. FORECAST POSITION AND INTENSITY: 12H, VALID 2009/03/26 AT 06 UTC: 23.8S / 42.4E, MAX WIND = 65 KT, TROPICAL CYCLONE. 24H, VALID 2009/03/26 AT 18 UTC: 23.7S / 42.4E, MAX WIND = 60 KT, SEVERE TROP. STORM. OTHER INFORMATIONS: IZILDA HAS CLEARLY SLOWN DOWN AND IS EXPECTED TO BECOME STATIONNARY WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS BEFORE RECURVING WEST-NORTHWESTWARDS UNDER THE STEERING INFLUENCE OF THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURES REBUILDING IN ITS SOUTHWEST. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS SHOULD ALLOW TO KEEP ON INTENSIFICATING WITHIN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. IZILDA COULD ALSO REACH THE MINIMAL TROPICAL CYCLONE STAGE. STRONGESTS WINDS EXTEND FAR IN THE SOUTHWEST DUE TO THE GRADIENT EFFECT WITH THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURES.