[13] Continuing to intensify in favorable atmospheric conditions, Rita reached Category 2 cyclone strength by November 25, and later will peak with 70 mph per FMS.

[14][15][16] The developing eye briefly emerged on infrared and visible satellite imagery as a ragged feature at the cyclone's center, surrounded by well-defined rainbands.

[27] During December 19, the FMS reported that Tropical Disturbance 02F had developed about 55 km (35 mi) to the northeast of Tau in American Samoa's Manu‘a Group.

[28][29] Over the next few days, the system moved south-westwards within an area that was marginally favourable for further development, with good poleward outflow and warm sea surface temperatures offset by low to moderate vertical wind shear.

[31] At this time the system was poorly organised with deep atmospheric convection, displaced to the north and east of its broad and elongated low-level circulation.

[31][33] The disturbance was also located underneath an upper ridge of high pressure within a favourable environment for further development, with low to moderate vertical windshear and warm sea surface temperatures of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F).

[31][33] Over the next couple of days, the system moved southwards and gradually developed further with its overall organisation improving, before it was classified as a tropical depression by the FMS during December 25.

[37][39] Over the next couple of days, the system gradually intensified further and was classified as a Category 2 tropical cyclone during December 27, while it was located around 220 km (135 mi) to the west of Nadi, Fiji.

[40][41] During December 28, as Sarai passed about 100 km (60 mi) to the south of Fiji's Kadavu Island, the FMS estimated that the system had peaked as a Category 2 tropical cyclone with 10-minute sustained winds of 110 km/h (68 mph).

[46] At the time, a large eye was evident on microwave satellite data while the storm tracked towards the southeast along the periphery of the jet stream, and remained present throughout the day.

[47][48][49] Sarai reached its lowest barometric pressure on December 29 before weakening due to increasing wind shear of 55–65 km/h (34–40 mph), resulting in a loss of organisation.

[56] As the cyclone passed very close to the main Fijian island of Viti Levu on December 27 and brought very heavy rainfall, the FMS warned of the probability of damaging gale-force and storm-force winds and very heavy rainfall at times, with over 2,000 people being evacuated to higher grounds in case of flooding, while commercial flights and cruises in and out of the country were delayed or cancelled as a result of these conditions.

[59] On January 10, an area of low pressure formed just east of the Solomon Islands and was forecast by the FMS to track towards the southeast, exhibiting some potential to develop further into a tropical cyclone.

[72] However, Tino soon began to entrain dry air, resulting in a gradual decay of its convection and subsequent weakening on January 18 as the center tracked across Ha'apai.

[86] Additionally, a father and daughter were left missing after being swept away from floodwaters due to heavy rainfall generated by the system in Eastern Fiji.

[88] During that day, the disturbance moved south-eastwards within an environment favourable for further development, with low vertical windshear, warm sea surface temperatures, while its outflow was enhanced by strong westerlies.

[88][90] As a result, atmospheric convection started to wrap into the system's consolidating low-level circulation center, which prompted the JTWC to issue a tropical cyclone formation alert on the disturbance.

[96][97] The disturbance was also located to the north of a subtropical ridge of high pressure, within a favourable environment for further development, with a low to moderate amount of vertical wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F).

[96][97] A tropical cyclone formation alert was subsequently issued by the JTWC early on February 8, as convection improved near the centre of the storm; at the time, 06F was centered 653 km (406 mi) northwest of Port Vila, Vanuatu.

[108] An increase in vertical wind shear from the northwest on February 12 caused the convective structure of the cyclone to weaken, resulting in the low-level circulation centre becoming exposed from the central dense overcast.

At 12:00 UTC on February 12, the FMS passed primary responsibility for Uesi over to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's (BOM) warning centre in Brisbane,[111] who indicated that the system had weakened to a high-end Category 2 tropical cyclone.

The system was poorly organised, with a high wind shear environment displacing convection to the northeast of the low-level center of circulation as the disturbance moved southeast to east-southeast.

[149] Later that day, the center of 08F continued past the 25th parallel south, leading the FMS to issue their final tropical disturbance summary on the highly sheared system.

[150] The FMS analysed the formation of Tropical Disturbance 09F on February 19 near Wallis and Futuna,[151] positioned within an area of low wind shear and divergent flow aloft.

[159] Despite warm ocean waters and a conducive environment aloft for outflow, strong wind shear led to a deterioration of Vicky's shower activity.

[136] The disturbance was located within an area of low vertical windshear while atmospheric convection persisted over and had started to wrap into the systems low-level circulation centre.

[174][175] Accelerating towards the south-southeast, convective activity associated with Wasi became limited to the cyclone's eastern half,[176][177] eventually exposing the low-level centre of circulation on February 23.

[226] Intensification continued and by 12:00 UTC, it reached peak intensity as a Category 5-equivalent cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with 10-minute winds of 230 km/h (140 mph) and a minimum barometric pressure of 920 mbar (27.17 inHg).

[citation needed] The JTWC subsequently issued its final advisory on Harold, as it was expected to gain frontal characteristics and complete its extratropical transition within 12 hours.

[230] MetService subsequently declared Harold to be an extratropical cyclone during April 10, before the system was last noted during the following day around 1,500 km (930 mi) to the southwest of Adamstown in the Pitcairn Islands.