at this time reached its peak intensity, with Météo-France estimating 10-min sustained winds to be 55 kn, while the JTWC estimated 1-min sustained winds to be 55 kn as well; see 2001–02 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season. Tropical Low 03S A monsoon trough present near the equator spawned a low near eastern New Guinea. The system tracked westward at a very low latitude. Convection rapidly built around the system because of its position near the axis of the ridge and the low vertical wind shear in the environment. The storm was mentioned by TCWC Darwin in the daily Tropical Weather Outlook on 15 November and given a low to moderate chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within 72 hours. On 17 November, tropical depression formed near southern Papua New Guinea. By the 19th conditions were less favourable, and the JTWC indicated that convection was sheared to the west of the well-defined, yet weak, circulation centre. Up to this point, Darwin and JTWC were in agreement regarding the system's strength and its potential for development. However, JTWC issued their first Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on 21 November, placing the system's center about 200 nm east-northeast of Timor. At 0600 UTC they upgraded the low to a weak tropical cyclone and issued their first warning. JTWC forecast slight strengthening which did not materialise. They issued their second and final warning at 1800 UTC. In their final best track, JTWC held the estimated tropical cyclone-strength intensity through the next day. Though the system was overland for some time, the damage it caused is unknown. Tropical Cyclone Bessi–Bako An area of convection developed on 25 November 2001 southwest of Sumatra. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on 26 November when the low continued to become better organised. At the same time, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Perth began releasing gale warnings for the storm, anticipating further development. Moderate wind shear prevented the low from intensifying, which made it necessary for the JTWC to issue another TCFA on 27 November. Shortly after, the JTWC issued their first warning on the storm, designating it 05S, while Perth upgraded the cyclone to Tropical Cyclone Bessi. At this time, the cyclone was located about northwest of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Bessi was initially moving westwards, but turned to the south as a mid-level trough weakened the subtropical ridge which was