[4] Later the same day, Giovanna went through a rapid intensification period and became an intense tropical cyclone, due to favorable environmental conditions.

[5] Soon, Giovanna began an eyewall replacement cycle[6] and weakened into a Category 3-equivalent tropical cyclone on 11 February, due to high wind shear around the system.

[7] However, the wind shear surrounding the storm soon weakened, and Giovanna was able to restrengthen back into an intense tropical cyclone as it finished the eyewall replacement cycle, resulting with a new, larger eye 50 kilometres (31 mi) across.

On February 18, Giovanna turned eastwards, and the storm was steered into warmer waters off the southern coast of Madagascar by a strong anticyclone located to the south.

Large waves estimated up to 8 m (26 ft) high affected the coast of Reunion and resulted in one fatality after a man was swept out to sea.