Hurricane update - 23 February

Tropical cyclone GAMEDE is a threat to both Mauritius and La Reunion.

(1) Gamede is passing over Saint Brandon, and may already have passed the island. Its area of central calm will extend for 50 km, and windspeeds near the centre are 125 kph, with gusts up to 180 kph.

(2) The weatherservice in Mauritius has issued a bulletin on Gamede which reads as follows:

5TH CYCLONE BULLETIN ISSUED AT 1630 HOURS ON 23 FEBRUARY 2007.

A CYCLONE WARNING CLASS 3 IS IN FORCE IN MAURITIUS AS FROM 23 FEBRUARY AT 1700 HOURS.

LATEST OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT TROPICAL CYCLONE GAMEDE CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY AND AT 1600 HOURS WAS CENTRED WITHIN 30 KM RADIUS OF LATITUDE 16.6 DEGREES SOUTH AND LONGITUDE 59.2 DEGREES EAST, THAT IS AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 440 KM TO THE NORTH NORTH EAST OF MAURITIUS.

IT WILL MOVE IN A GENERAL WEST SOUTH WESTERLY DIRECTION AT ABOUT 20
KM/H. ON THIS TRAJECTORY CYCLONIC CONDITIONS, THAT IS, GUSTS OF THE ORDER OF 120 KM/H MAY BE EXPECTED EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. FURTHERMORE, ANY RECURVATURE IN ITS TRAJECTORY TOWARDS THE SOUTH WILL BRING ITS CENTRE CLOSER TO MAURITIUS. GAMEDE REMAINS A THREAT TO MAURITIUS.

THE PUBLIC IS ADVISED TO COMPLETE ALL PRECAUTIONS.

ACTIVE CLOUD BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL CYCLONE GAMEDE WILL INFLUENCE WEATHER OVER MAURITIUS. MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS WILL OCCUR DURING THE NIGHT MAINLY TO THE NORTH, EAST AND OVER THE HIGH GROUNDS.

EASTERLY GUSTS OF THE ORDER OF 100 KM/H WILL INCREASE GRADUALLY TO REACH 120 KM/H BY TOMORROW MORNING. SEAS WILL BE HIGH. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON TROPICAL CYCLONE GAMEDE DURING ITS PASSAGE AT SAINT BRANDON:

DIAMETER OF CENTRAL CALM AREA: 50 KM
CENTRAL PRESSURE : 955 HECTOPASCALS.
MEAN WIND : 125 KM/H.
MAXIMUM GUST : 180 KM/H.

THE NEXT BULLETIN WILL BE ISSUED AT 1910 HRS