to the northwest, with the storm's small structure sparing the island from the strongest winds. Early on February 16, Eline attained tropical cyclone status, with 10‑minute winds of 120 km/h (75 mph), while passing about 160 km (100 mi) northwest of Réunion. This was nine days after it had weakened to tropical storm status the first time. Upon becoming a tropical cyclone, Eline was still encountering wind shear and dry air. Despite these factors, the eye became better defined and the storm intensified as upper-level conditions improved. The cyclone turned more to the west toward Madagascar, despite a weakness in the ridge to the south. While approaching the country, Eline quickly intensified, reaching 10‑minute winds of 165 km/h (105 mph) by 18:00 UTC on February 17. Around that time, the cyclone made landfall on eastern Madagascar near Mahanoro. Eline rapidly weakened over land while moving to the west-southwest, and the JTWC downgraded the storm to tropical depression status within 18 hours of moving ashore. After crossing Madagascar for 26 hours, Eline emerged into the Mozambique Channel near Belo, still maintaining good outflow. With warm waters and a favorable upper level environment, the depression quickly re-intensified as convection increased. At 12:00 UTC on February 19, Eline re-attained moderate tropical storm status. While in the central Mozambique Channel, Eline passed about 35 km (20 mi) north of Europa Island, which recorded a barometric pressure of . Shortly thereafter, the storm turned more to the west-northwest due to a strengthening ridge to the south. A brief increase in wind shear delayed the strengthening trend, but Eline resumed intensifying on February 21 while slowly approaching southeastern Africa. Over a 24‑hour period, the pressure dropped by , indicative of rapid deepening. During that time, the convection organized into an intense eyewall around a well-defined 60 km (35 mi) eye. Eline had re-attained tropical cyclone status at 12:00 UTC on February 21, and by 18 hours later reached intense tropical cyclone status. The MFR estimated peak 10‑minute winds of 185 km/h (115 mph); in contrast, the JTWC estimated peak 1‑minute winds of 215 km/h (130 mph), the equivalent of a Category 4 tropical cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale (SSHWS). While at peak intensity, Eline made landfall about 80 km (50 mi) south of Beira, Mozambique, where a central pressure of was recorded. Gusts at landfall were estimated at 260 km/h (160 mph). Although the winds