Later that day due to a developing northerly steering current, the system slowed and undertook a small anticlockwise loop before starting to move towards the southwest and rapidly intensify.

As Tia moved near Tikopia, the system reached its peak intensity as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone, with 10‑minute sustained windspeeds of 140 km/h (85 mph).

[5] Around this time, because of a developing northerly steering current, Tia slowed and undertook a small anticlockwise loop, before starting to move towards the southwest and rapidly intensify.

[6] As Tia moved near Tikopia, the FMS reported that the system had reached its peak intensity as a category 3 severe tropical cyclone, with sustained wind speeds of 140 km/h (85 mph).

[6] By 0000 UTC on November 20, Tia had weakened into a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian Scale and became slow moving while located about 370 km (230 mi) to the east of Port Villa in Vanuatu.

[6][10] The system also damaged the islands water supply and vegetable gardens, flattened its coconut trees and destroyed food crops such as Taro.

[10][11] On both islands there were no reports of any casualties, however, over 1000 people were left homeless, while high seas and waves caused extensive damage to the coasts and flooded low-lying areas.

[13] Late on November 17, the FMS started to release special advisories for Vanuatu after it had become clear that the systems south-southwest movement, would bring the cyclone sufficiently close to the Banks and Torres Islands to cause either gale or storm force winds.