Gamede's impact on La Reunion

The French island of La Reunion has been battered by tropical cyclone GAMEDE between February 23rd and 28th. This system is now on its way to southerly latitudes, and will join the perpetuum mobile of low pressure systems howling around the Antarctic until the end of time.

Gamede did not make a direct hit on the island, but stayed between 120 and 250 miles off shore. Windspeeds varied between 75 and 100 mph. Bear in mind that Reunion is a mountainous island, with even a volcano thrown in for good measure. Maximum wave heights, generated by the winds and low pressure of Gamede varied between 19 and 40 feet. Rainfall totals over the four days are quite phenomenal, but not record breaking for the island, which gets swiped by tropical cyclones on and off over the years. Totals varied between 10 and 103 inches across the island. In millimetres (litres per square metre) I can give the following totals: Cilaos - 2,586; La Plaine des Chicots - 2,132; La Plaine des Palmistes - 1,932. These are from points in the mountains. Along the shore, totals were far lower: Gillot - 439 mm; St-Benoît - 309 mm and Pierrefonds 247 mm.

I am quoting these figures as a reminder of the dual force of a tropical cyclone (or hurricane or typhoon). Not just the winds - also the rainfall totals. If the Cilaos rains fell on one square metre, without running off, you'd look at a depth of water of more than 2.5 metres, or 8 feet 7 inches.

The North Atlantic season is due to start in 3 months from now - if you're in Hurricane Alley, be prepared.