Reunion Coastal Flooding Alert Expands; Forecasters Set Monday Update on Infrastructure Ri
Meteorologists to reassess coastal hazard status as swell system moves across island Monday.
Reunion’s northwestern, western, southwestern, and southern coastlines entered a yellow alert for wave submersion on Sunday at 4:30 p.m., covering the shoreline from Pointe-des-Galets to Pointe-de-la-Table. Meteorologists at the Chaudron weather station are scheduled to issue an updated assessment around 4 p.m. Monday, at which point the alert will either be extended, expanded to additional areas, or lifted depending on observed conditions.
The core operational concern is wave height. Average breakers along affected coastal sectors are expected to range between 2.5 and 3 meters, though some waves could reach twice that magnitude. Residents and maritime operators in these zones are advised to monitor radio, television, and the Reunion La 1ère website at https://la1ere.franceinfo.fr/reunion/la-reunion-ciel-variable-et-vigilance-jaune-vagues-submersion-des-cotes-nord-ouest-a-sud-1723150.html for the latest guidance.
Monday’s weather pattern reflects a transition system moving across the island. Morning hours are expected to bring clear skies across interior regions, the volcano zone, and the eastern and northern areas. A cloud and rain boundary is advancing from the south and west early in the day, however, bringing scattered showers between Saint-Leu and Saint-Pierre. This gray, unsettled weather is associated with a cold front. As the day progresses, cloud cover will expand gradually, creating variable conditions that alternate between clear breaks and cloud formations carrying scattered showers, with heavier precipitation expected on elevated slopes.
Wind conditions remain relatively subdued. The general southerly flow is weak, with the strongest gusts anticipated this afternoon near Pointe-des-Galets and around Saint-Denis. Elsewhere, a light breeze regime dominates.
Maximum temperatures are forecast to reach 25 to 27 degrees Celsius along the coast, 18 to 21 degrees in the cirques, and 13 to 14 degrees at Maïdo or the volcano.
The sea state reflects the arrival of a southwest swell measuring 2.5 to 3 meters. Conditions are rough along the eastern coast and strong offshore from Saint-Denis. Waters in other sectors are also classified as strong due to this incoming swell, which is the direct driver of the submersion risk concentrated between Pointe-des-Galets and Pointe-de-la-Table.
The next official bulletin from Météo-France La Réunion will determine whether current alert levels hold, expand to other coastal regions, or are downgraded as the system moves through.
Q&A
Which coastal areas are currently under yellow alert for wave submersion?
Reunion's northwestern, western, southwestern, and southern coastlines from Pointe-des-Galets to Pointe-de-la-Table entered yellow alert Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
When will the next official alert assessment occur?
Météo-France La Réunion is scheduled to issue an updated assessment around 4 p.m. Monday.
What wave heights are expected in affected coastal sectors?
Average breakers are expected to range between 2.5 and 3 meters, though some waves could reach twice that magnitude.
What weather system is driving the submersion risk?
A southwest swell measuring 2.5 to 3 meters is the direct driver of the submersion risk, with a cold front advancing from the south and west bringing additional unsettled conditions.