Every year around end of January... well, ok, to be honest this is my first 'full' January here on the island, but anyways the cyclons are here! Starting on the 29th January there is Cyclone Warning Class 1 that had been increased during the last 48 hours. The currrent bulletin of Mauritius Meteorological Services reads like this:

CYCLONE WARNING


A CYCLONE WARNING CLASS 3 IS IN FORCE IN MAURITIUS.
A CYCLONE WARNING CLASS 3 IS IN FORCE IN MAURITIUS.

FIFTH CYCLONE BULLETIN ISSUED AT 07H00 ON THURSDAY 31 JANUARY 2008.

AT 0700 HOURS THIS MORNING, 'GULA' WAS CENTERED NEAR 18.5 DEGREES
SOUTH,59.7 DEGREES EAST, THAT IS ABOUT 260 KM TO THE NORTH-EAST OF
MAURITIUS.

'GULA' HAS SLIGHTLY CHANGED ITS TRAJECTORY AND IS NOW MOVING IN A
SOUTH-SOUTH-WESTERLY DIRECTION WITH A SPEED OF 12 KM/H.

ALONG THIS TRACK, SEVERE TROPICAL STORM 'GULA' CONTINUES TO
APPROACH MAURITIUS AND IS A POTENTIAL THREAT.

A CYCLONE WARNING CLASS 3 IS IN FORCE IN MAURITIUS

THE PUBLIC IS ADVISED TO COMPLETE ALL PRECAUTIONS.

WEATHER IN MAURITIUS WILL BE CLOUDY WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY
SHOWERS,THUNDERY AT TIMES.

EASTERLY GUSTS PRESENTLY OF THE ORDER OF 80 KM/H WILL INCREASE
GRADUALLY.


CYCLONIC CONDITIONS, THAT IS WINDS OF UP TO 120 KM/H ARE EXPECTED
TO OCCUR BY MID-DAY.


SEAS WILL BE PHENOMENAL.


THE NEXT BULLETIN WILL BE ISSUED AT 1000 HOURS .


A CYCLONE WARNING CLASS 3 IS IN FORCE IN MAURITIUS
A CYCLONE WARNING CLASS 3 IS IN FORCE IN MAURITIUS

And funnily that's exact the same message they are broadcasting on radio and TV. The consequences on this warning are nice for employees - stay at home and take precautions.

Well, for me this is not the first cyclone. Last year at the end of February I already had the 'chance' to attend cyclone Gamede that was a big one that passed at a distance of about 250km from the west coast of Mauritius. So, I'm really interested on the impact of Gula passing on the east coast.

Just in case that you like to get more information watch out these web sites:

Cyclone Bulletin: https://metservice.intnet.mu/wbulmrue.htm
Classification: https://metservice.intnet.mu/wcygen.htm
Satellite Image: https://metservice.intnet.mu/wsatpic.htm

There are even more nice pictures - satellite and trajectory - of cyclone on this site: https://www.mtotec.com/

What is a cyclone anyways? Check out the article at Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone

 

Alright, that's the current news from Mauritius. I'll stay at home and be online...

PS: The names of cyclone for the season 2007/2008 are listed here: https://metservice.intnet.mu/wsnames.htm