signaling that the storm was strengthening. Early on February 5, the BoM upgraded Leon to a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, estimating 10‑minute winds of 120 km/h (75 mph). At 22:00 UTC that day, the agency estimated an initial peak of 140 km/h (85 mph). On February 6, the cyclone developed an eye in the center of the convection that was only visible on Special sensor microwave/imager, not on satellite imagery. On the same day, the JTWC upgraded Leon to the equivalent of a minimal hurricane, estimating 1‑minute winds of 140 km/h (85 mph). A trough passing to the south increased wind shear, causing the storm to weaken. Around that time, Leon passed about 510 km (315 mi) south of the Cocos Islands, while turning more to the west after the ridge strengthened to the south. By February 8, the circulation was exposed from the rapidly dwindling thunderstorms. At 18:00 UTC that day, Leon crossed 90° E into the south-west Indian Ocean, and as result was renamed Eline by the Mauritius Meteorological Service. By that time, Météo-France (MFR) estimated 10‑minute winds of 65 km/h (40 mph). Over the subsequent few days, wind shear caused the convection to wax and wane over Eline's center, limiting the thunderstorms to the southern periphery. The track shifted more to the west-northwest. On February 11, Eline had weakened into a minimal tropical storm according to the MFR, about 1110 km (690 mi) south of Diego Garcia, and the JTWC operationally downgraded it to a tropical depression. Later that day, however, a decrease in shear allowed thunderstorms to refire. On February 13, a weakness in the ridge caused the storm to turn back to the west-southwest. Moving back beneath an anticyclone, conditions became more favorable for strengthening, allowing outflow and a central dense overcast to form, with the beginnings of an eye feature. Eline quickly intensified into a severe tropical storm late on February 13. At 00:00 UTC the next day, the JTWC upgraded Eline to the equivalent of a minimal hurricane with 1‑minute winds of 120 km/h (75 mph). The MFR held off upgrading the storm, due to a passing trough increasing wind shear again. On February 14, Eline passed about 85 km (55 mi) south of St. Brandon, and shortly thereafter resumed its strengthening after the shear dropped. Later that day, the storm bypassed Mauritius about 180 km (110 mi)