cyclone became a tropical storm six hours earlier. At around the same time, the IMD classified it as a "low-pressure area... likely to become well marked." Upon being classified, the tropical cyclone was moving northwestward under the influence of a ridge over India. Its outflow to the north and south became better defined, although its proximity to the equator limited its southerly outflow somewhat due to wind shear. Early on November 29, the IMD classified the system as a depression, and throughout the day it rapidly intensified to become a cyclonic storm; a cyclonic storm is a tropical cyclone with at least winds sustained for 3 minutes. Around that time, the JTWC assessed the cyclone as reaching peak winds of , sustained for 1 minute, along with gusts to . Late on November 29, the cyclone weakened slightly, only to regain its peak intensity by November 30; at that time, it developed a banding eye, and was located about 1500 km (900 mi) southeast of the coast of Somalia. At 1200 UTC on November 30, the IMD issued its first complete advisory on the cyclone, naming it Severe Cyclonic Storm Agni and estimating peak winds at ; the agency predicted the storm would continue northwestward and strengthen slightly before weakening. At its peak, the cyclone had a barometric pressure of 985 mbar. After reaching peak intensity, an increase in wind shear caused the eye to disappear, and the convection decreased significantly. On December 1, the IMD estimated Agni weakened to cyclonic storm status, around which time the center became exposed from the convection. The cyclone continued its steady weakening continued due to the wind shear, the presence of dry air, and cooler water temperatures, and by December 2, the IMD downgraded Agni to depression status, which was its final warning on the system. As it approached the coast of Somalia, it turned westward due to the building of a ridge over Saudi Arabia. Despite unfavorable conditions, thunderstorms briefly reformed over the circulation, which allowed the storm to maintain its intensity. By late on December 3, Agni weakened to below tropical storm status, and the JTWC issued its final warning while the storm was about 450 km (275 mi) south-southeast of Cape Guardafui—the easternmost point of the Horn of Africa. The circulation became difficult to locate by early on December 4, by which time the system had little remaining convection. It