Sixth cyclone bulletin for Mauritius issued at 16:10 hours this Tuesday 01 February 2022.
During the last hours, tropical cyclone Batsirai has intensified slightly. The pressure at the center of the cyclone is estimated at about 960 hPa and the gusts near the center are 200 km/h.
At 16h00, tropical cyclone Batsirai was centered at about 410 km northeast of Mauritius in latitude 17.2 degrees South and longitude 60.2 degrees East. It is moving in a direction between southwest and west-southwest at a speed of about 15 km/h.
On this trajectory cyclone Batsirai is approaching Mauritius and represents a direct threat to the island. As Batsirai is a small diameter system, the maximum wind is within 30 km of the center. However, the external cloud bands are likely to cross the island from tonight causing heavy showers and gusts reaching 120 km/h. The slightest shift in the trajectory to the south will bring the center closer to Mauritius, increasing the risk of cyclonic conditions on the island.
The public in Mauritius is advised to complete all precautions.
The weather will be cloudy with intermittent rainfall more frequent in the east, south and central plateau. A marked deterioration in the weather is expected overnight with thundery showers.
The wind will be from the southeast at around 50 km/h with gusts in the 100 km/h range, strengthening further during the night. The gusts could exceed 120 km/h early tomorrow morning.
The sea will be big with swells of 7 meters. We advise against going out to sea.
The next bulletin will be issued around 19:10hrs.
