TROPICAL CYCLONE WALTER, 3 to 14 March 

     Walter was unusual in that it reached tropical storm 
intensity, decayed and then reintensified to tropical storm 
intensity again.
     A tropical low with an estimated central pressure of 1000 
hPa was identified on 3 March near 14.6S, 94.0E.
     A high latitude cold front initially steered the low to the 
southeast. As the influence of the front weakened, a high 
pressure ridge that was being established behind the front caused 
the cyclone to change direction towards the southwest on 6 March.
     Walter first reached storm intensity at 1800 4 March and 
reached maximum intensity (985 hPa) at 0700 6 March as it started 
moving towards the southwest. The cyclone then continued to move 
in a generally westerly direction and weakened; by 0600 8 March 
it had degenerated to a tropical low.
     It tracked north-northeast and weakened further until 1200 
on 10 March when it first tracked to the north, then northwest 
and reintensified so that by 1800 12 March Walter was again 
generating gales. It tracked west-northwest and continued to 
intensify until it crossed 90E and was renamed Gregoria by the 
Mauritius Weather Service.

TROPICAL DEPRESSION GREGOARA (EX WALTER), 15-27 March 1990

     On 13 March, at 0600 UT, a depression was located at about
13.5 degrees South and 94.0 degrees East within the Australian
sector.  Named Walter, it moved west-northwest.  On 14 March, at
about 0000 UT, it crossed parallel 90 degrees East toward parallel
11 degrees and was named Gregoara.  Its intensity was estimated at
T2.5 (weak tropical depression).

     On 15 March, at 0600 UT, Gregoara was located near
11.6 degrees South and 85.0 degrees East.  It intensified rapidly:
1.5T within 24 hours.  This increase placed it at T4, where it was
classified as a strong tropical depression.  During the day, it
moved first toward the southwest, then curved west-southwest.

     Over the next several days, Gregoara's intensity increased.
The depression quickly became a tropical cyclone:
     -T5.0 on 16 March, at 2013 UT, according to NOAA 11.
     -T5.5 on 17 March, at 0218 UT, according to NOAA 10.
     -T6 on 17 March, at 0858 UT, according to NOAA 11.

     On 17 March, Gregoara reached its maximum intensity, T6
(intense tropical cyclone).  It remained at this stage until
18 March, at 1435 UT (NOAA 10 photo).

     Between 18-22 March, the depression moved continually south-
west.  However, its intensity progressively decreased until it
finally fell to stage T2.5 (weak tropical depression) at the end of
this time period.  Having become extratropical, Gregoara moved near
meridian 74 degrees East.  Because of the anticyclone arriving from
the west, the depressionary system which was tied to the cyclone
was then pushed toward the south, and then east-southeast.

     At the end of its movement, Gregoara rolled toward the south.
On 27 March, at 0600 UT, a center was still located near
32.0 degrees South and 78.5 degrees East.  However, over the course
of the day, the depression rapidly dissipated north of New
Amsterdam.

     Because Gregoara developed far from inhabited land, only the
ships at sea were directly affected and had to avoid the violent
wind caused by the cyclone.

     At its maximum intensity, Gregoara reached stage T6 (intense
tropical cyclone).  It had the following characteristics:
     Minimum pressure near the eye: 927 hPa (695 mm).
     Maximum wind over 10 minutes, near the eye: 92 kt (170 km/h).
     Wind gust peak: 138 kt (256 km/h).