[4] During 27 December, the depression started to move towards the southwest and the southern Solomon Islands, as convection surrounding the centre and the general organization of the system continued to increase.

[10][11][12] During that day the system developed a 20 km (10 mi) wide eye while significantly intensifying further, with RSMC Nadi reporting by 18:00 UTC that Freda had become a category 3 severe tropical cyclone with 10-minute sustained winds of 150 km/h (95 mph).

At 18:00 UTC, after deep convection had become displaced to the east of the low level circulation center, RSMC Nadi reported that the cyclone had weakened into a tropical depression.

[19] During the next day, the JTWC issued their final advisory on the system after the low level circulation center had become fully exposed before the remnant tropical depression crossed the northern part of New Caledonia's Grande Terre island.

[30] On 31 December, the Solomon Islands National Disaster Management Office approved a $3.7 million budget for work programmes, transport, logistics and food relief supplies to deal with the damage left behind by Cyclone Freda.

[24] On 29 December, the French High Commissioner for New Caledonia placed the whole of the archipelago under a pre-alert, as Freda was expected to generate heavy rain and disrupt New Year's Eve celebrations.

[31] Within New Caledonia, the strongest winds were observed on Grand Terre's south-southwestern coast, with a maximum gust of 154 km/h (96 mph) and a rainfall amount of 438 mm (17.2 in) were recorded at the Goro weather station.