Cyclone GELANE – UPDATE 3 (Feb 20)

GELANE Still a Major Hurricane, May Turn Deadly

Tropical Cyclone GELANE, having reached sustained wind speeds of  about 235 km/hr, is now a Cat. 4A Hurricane force on the FEWW New Hurricane Scale with sustained winds of about 218 km/he (117.5 kt) and wind gusts of up to 260 km/hr (140 kt).

The Cyclone could track west moving toward Madagascar with the islands of Mauritius and  Réunion still in crosshairs.

Cyclone GELANE Visible/IR Satellite Image. Source: UW-CIMSS.  Click images to enlarge.

Tropical Cyclone GELANE (TC 16S) Details

• Date/Time: 20 February 2010 –  01:00 UTC
• Position:  Near 18.5ºS, 61.5ºE
• Sustained Movement: 200  degrees
  
• Forward speed:  13 km/hr ( 7 kt)
• The system has been tracking  SSW.
  

Current Wind Distribution:

• Maximum Sustained winds: 218 km/hr (117.5 kt)
• Maximum Gusts:  ~ 260 km/hr (~ 140kt)
• GELANE is currently a Cat. 4A Hurricane on FEWW New Hurricane Scale

Wave Height and Location:

• Maximum significant wave height: ~ 10m (30 ft)
  
• Location: TC GELANE was located about ~ 685km (~ 370 NM) NORTHEAST (246.3 degrees) of  Saint-Denis, Réunion, and about 455 km EAST-NORTHEAST (245.5 degrees) of  Port Louis, Mauritius.
  
• Sources: CIMSS, JTWC and Others

See also: UW- CIMSS Cyclone Portal

GELANE Satellite Image – Meto France.

• Radar Animation
• Satellite image animation

The MODIS instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite caught an impressive visible image of Gelane on February 19 at 09:45 UTC (4:45 a.m. ET) that clearly showed the eye of this Category 4 cyclone. Credit: NASA MODIS Rapid Response Team. Click Image to Enlarge!

The AIRS instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured Gelane on Feb. 19 at 4:41 a.m. ET (09:41UTC). Even Gelane’s eye is visible in this infrared image, and it’s surrounded by very high, powerful thunderstorms with cloud tops as cold as -63F. Credit: NASA/JPL, Ed Olsen. Click Image to Enlarge!

Related Links:

• CYCLONE GELANE: AVOID ME IF YOU CAN
• Cyclone GELANE UPDATE 2 (Feb 19)
• Cyclone GELANE (TC 16S) UPDATE 1 (Feb 18)
• Cyclone GELANE (TC 16S)
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale

CYCLONE GELANE: AVOID ME IF YOU CAN

Images of the Day:

Tropical Cyclone GELANE Strengthens as Forecast

As of about 06:00UTC on February 19, Cyclone GELANE has intensified to a Cat. 4A Hurricane force on the FEWW New Hurricane Scale with sustained winds of about 222 km/he (119.8 kt) and gusts of 260 km/hr (140 kt).

Cyclone GELANE has developed a perfectly round 20-km eye. Visible Images. Source: UW-CIMSS.  Click images to enlarge.

Cyclone Gelane – 2010-02-19 00:00 — 2010-02-19 09:45 Morphed Integrated Microwave Imagery at CIMSS, with Infrared (MIMIC-IR) – Version 1

Related Links:

• Cyclone GELANE UPDATE 2 (Feb 19)
• Cyclone GELANE (TC 16S) UPDATE 1 (Feb 18)
• Cyclone GELANE (TC 16S)
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale

Cyclone GELANE UPDATE 2 (Feb 19)

TC GELANE Strengthens to a Category 3A Hurricane on FEWW New Hurricane Scale

With sustained winds of about 190 km/hr (gusts of up to 235 km/hr), Cyclone GELANE (TC 16S) is now a Category 3A Hurricane on  FEWW New Hurricane Scale. Fire-Earth believes the cyclone would reach Category 4A strength, possibly stronger, as forecast yesterday.

The system is expected to continue intensifying during the next 36 hours. The coral reef island of Rodrigues should expect heavy rain as the cyclone moves closer.

Cyclone GELANE. Water Vapor satellite images. Source: UW-CIMSS.  Click images to enlarge.

Tropical Cyclone GELANE (TC 16S) Details

• Date/Time: 19 February 2010 –  01:00 UTC
• Position:  Near 16.3ºS, 62.5ºE
• Sustained Movement: 180  degrees
  
• Forward speed:  9 km/hr ( 5 kt)
• The system has been tracking  SOUTH over the past 6 hours.
  

Current Wind Distribution:

• Maximum Sustained winds:  190km/hr (102 kt)
• Maximum Gusts:  ~ 235 km/hr (~ 125kt)
• GELANE is currently a Cat. 3A Hurricane on FEWW New Hurricane Scale

Wave Height and Location:

• Maximum significant wave height: ~ 9m (27 ft)
  
• Location: TC GELANE was located about ~ 885 km (~ 475 NM) NE of Réunion island.
  
• Sources: CIMSS, JTWC and Others

See also: UW- CIMSS Cyclone Portal

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GELANE through the eye of TRMM. Credit: NASA/SSAI

Related Links:

• Cyclone GELANE (TC 16S) UPDATE 1 (Feb 18)
• Cyclone GELANE (TC 16S)
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale