Cyclone Garance

Intense Tropical Cyclone Garance
Garance intensifying north of Réunion on 27 February
Meteorological history
Formed24 February 2025 (2025-02-24)
Extratropical2 March 2025 (2025-03-02)
Dissipated5 March 2025 (2025-03-05)
Intense tropical cyclone
10-minute sustained (MFR)
Highest winds175 km/h (110 mph)
Lowest pressure951 hPa (mbar); 28.08 inHg
Category 3-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds195 km/h (120 mph)
Lowest pressure953 hPa (mbar); 28.14 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities5
Injuries6
Damage≥$940 million (2025 USD)(Fifth-costliest tropical cyclone in the South-West Indian Ocean basin; costliest in Réunion history)
Areas affected
Part of the 2024–25 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season

Intense Tropical Cyclone Garance was a powerful tropical cyclone which impacted Réunion and Mauritius. The seventh named storm and fifth intense tropical cyclone of the 2024–25 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Garance originated from a tropical disturbance which was spotted on 24 February to the east of Madagascar.

At least five fatalities have been reported in connection to the cyclone. Garance caused $940 million (€825 million) in damages in Reunion.[1]

Meteorological history

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Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

The weak low pressure system called 10 formed on February 24, after several days of development, off the east coast of Madagascar, just over 500 km northwest of Réunion Island. A cyclone warning was issued for Réunion Island and Mauritius by Météo-France La Réunion (MFR).[2] At 00:00 UTC on the 25th, the MFR upgraded the system to a tropical depression.[3] At 10:00 UTC, the tropical depression intensified into a moderate tropical storm and was named Garance by the Malagasy meteorological service.[4]

Continuing to intensify, Garance became a tropical cyclone on February 26 as it moved toward Réunion Island.[5] The latter island was placed on an orange cyclone alert, while Mauritius was upgraded to a Class III cyclone warning.[6][7] After 00:00 UTC on the 27th, the MFR upgraded the system to an intense cyclone while it was approximately 300 km north of Réunion, equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.[8][9] The alert was raised to red in Réunion (marine submersion, winds, and rain) during the day.[10]

On February 28 at 05:00 UTC, the prefect of Réunion issued a purple alert (a curfew including emergency services, which were no longer permitted to travel except with special authorization), for the second time in the island's history.[11] Around 6:00 UTC, Garance, downgraded to a tropical cyclone, made landfall on the northern coast of the island. The atmospheric pressure in Saint-Denis, near the center of the eye, was 975 hPa, and 10-minute sustained winds were estimated at 85 knots (157 km/h), lower than at its apex.[12] The eye crossed Réunion Island from north to south, from Sainte-Suzanne to Saint-Louis.[13] By 12:00 UTC, the system had downgraded to a severe tropical storm after reaching 130 km south-southwest of the island, and the alert had been lowered to red.[14]

On March 1 at 12:00 UTC, Garance continued to weaken, downgraded to a moderate tropical storm with very reduced convective activity, more than 900 km south of Réunion Island, which was placed in the safeguard phase.[15] At 0600 UTC on March 2, Garance reached colder waters and the MFR issued its final bulletin reclassifying it as a post-tropical cyclone nearly 1,400 km south-southeast of Réunion.[16]

Preparations and impact

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Costliest South-West Indian Ocean tropical cyclones
Rank Tropical cyclones Season Damage
1  4  Chido 2024–25 $3.9 billion
2  4  Idai 2018–19 $3.3 billion
3  SD  Issa 2021–22 $1.57 billion
4  5  Freddy 2022–23 $1.53 billion
5  3  Garance 2024–25 $940 million
6  4  Enawo 2016–17 $400 million
7  4  Kenneth 2018–19 $345 million
8  4  Leon–Eline 1999–00 $309 million
9  4  Dina 2001–02 $287 million
10  2  Belal 2023–24 $275 million

Réunion

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Rainfall, trajectory and damage by Garance in La Réunion.

Ahead of the cyclone, schools were closed in Réunion on the afternoon of 26 February, with a red alert being raised at 19:00 Réunion time the next day.[17] A higher alert – the purple alert – was then issued in Réunion on 28 February as the cyclone neared the island.[18]

At least four people were killed in Réunion due to the cyclone, while two others were reported missing.[19] Garance also left 42% of the island's customers without power.[20]

Cyclone Garance brought extreme weather conditions, with winds gusting to 214 km/h (133 mph),[21] torrential rainfall, and severe flooding across the islands. The destruction has been immense, affecting infrastructure, homes, and essential services. In addition, over a thousand people have been displaced from their homes and are currently being housed in emergency shelters.

Mauritius

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Schools were closed for two days due to the bad weather in Mauritius. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport was temporarily closed due to these weather conditions.[22][23]

The cyclone caused adverse weather conditions on the island. High swell warnings were issued, with waves reaching 5 to 7 meters in the open sea, increasing the risk of coastal flooding, particularly on the north and west coasts.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "q1-2025-global-catastrophe-recap" (PDF).
  2. ^ MFR La Réunion (24 February 2025). "Perturbation tropicale 10 bulletin numéro 1/10/20242025" (PDF). Bulletin d'analyse et de prévision cyclonique (sud-ouest océan Indien) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  3. ^ MFR La Réunion (25 February 2025). "Dépression tropicale 10 bulletin numéro 4/10/20242025" (PDF). Bulletin d'analyse et de prévision cyclonique (sud-ouest océan Indien) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  4. ^ MFR La Réunion (25 February 2025). "Tempête tropicale modérée 10 (Garance) bulletin numéro 6/10/20242025" (PDF). Bulletin d'analyse et de prévision cyclonique (sud-ouest océan Indien) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  5. ^ MFR La Réunion (26 February 2025). "Cyclone tropical modérée 10 (Garance) bulletin numéro 11/10/20242025" (PDF). Bulletin d'analyse et de prévision cyclonique (sud-ouest océan Indien) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  6. ^ "Tempête Garance : La Réunion en alerte orange depuis 14h ce mercredi, les habitants sont invités à vérifier leurs réserves et leurs abris". France Info La 1ère (in French). 26 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  7. ^ "Ile Maurice : avertissement de classe 3 cet après-midi". France Info La 1ère (in French). 26 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  8. ^ MFR La Réunion (27 February 2025). "Cyclone tropical intense 10 (Garance) bulletin numéro 13/10/20242025" (PDF). Bulletin d'analyse et de prévision cyclonique (sud-ouest océan Indien) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  9. ^ JTWC (2025). "Trajectory of Garance". NASA. Retrieved 27 February 2025..
  10. ^ "Cyclone Garance: l'alerte rouge déclenchée à 19h ce jeudi, le système a ralenti sa course et se trouve à 320 km au nord de La Réunion (point de 7h)". France Info La 1ère (in French). 27 February 2025. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  11. ^ "DIRECT. Cyclone Garance à La Réunion: au moins trois morts et deux disparus sur l'île". BFMTV (in French). 28 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  12. ^ MFR La Réunion (28 February 2025). "Cyclone tropical 10 (Garance) bulletin numéro 17/10/20242025" (PDF). Bulletin d'analyse et de prévision cyclonique (sud-ouest océan Indien) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  13. ^ "Alerte cyclonique : le cyclone Garance a touché l'île de La Réunion". Actualités et dossiers (in French). Météo-France. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  14. ^ MFR La Réunion (28 February 2025). "Forte tropicale tropicale 10 (Garance) bulletin numéro 18/10/20242025" (PDF). Bulletin d'analyse et de prévision cyclonique (sud-ouest océan Indien) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  15. ^ "Tout savoir sur l'après-Garance". zinfos974.com (in French). 1 March 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  16. ^ MFR La Réunion (2 March 2025). "Dépression post-tropicale 10 (Garance) bulletin numéro 25/10/20242025" (PDF). Bulletin d'analyse et de prévision cyclonique (sud-ouest océan Indien) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  17. ^ "Cyclone Garance puts Mauritius, La Reunion on high alert". France 24. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025. The red alert will be triggered at 7.00 pm, authorities announced, with the cyclone expected to reach its closest point to the island early Friday. A red alert measure requires the population to stay indoors and only emergency services can move around the island. Schools were closed from Wednesday afternoon.
  18. ^ "La Reunion island under 'purple alert' as Cyclone Garance approaches". France 24. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  19. ^ "Four dead after cyclone Garance hits French island of La Reunion". Reuters. 1 March 2025.
  20. ^ "One dead, two missing as cyclone Garance hits French island of La Reunion". Reuters. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  21. ^ "Cyclone Garance hits French Indian Ocean island of Reunion; police report 3 deaths". AP News. Associated Press. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  22. ^ Kamlesh Bhuckory (26 February 2025). "Mauritius to Shut Down Airport as Tropical Storm Intensifies". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  23. ^ "Tropical storm forces closure of Mauritius international airport". Travel Weekly. Jacobs Media. 27 February 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
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