south to produce heavy rainfall on Mauritius, peaking at around . Other systems Throughout the latter half of January, thunderstorms persisted in the Mozambique Channel. On January 12, the MFR classified an area of convection as Tropical Disturbance 3, although the agency ceased issuing advisories on the next day. Convection persisted, with an associated exposed circulation as of January 22. Two days later, the MFR issued one bulletin on the system before dropping advisories. The JTWC tracked the system as an area of potential development until January 26, when the thunderstorms weakened. The disturbance brought heavy rainfall to southwestern Madagascar, which followed a prolonged drought. In Morombe, rainfall over 36 hours accumulated to the average yearly total. This caused flooding and damage to crops and preceded devastating flooding that affected the nation over the subsequent months. Toward the end of February, the ITCZ produced a large area of convection in the eastern portion of the basin which would spawn two disturbances. On February 29, Tropical Disturbance 9 formed within the system well to the southeast of Diego Garcia. The convection organized slightly despite easterly wind shear, which left the circulation exposed. On March 1, the JTWC classified it as Tropical Cyclone 17S, estimating winds of tropical storm force the next day. The MFR, by contrast, classified it as a tropical depression while moving generally southwestward. The convection weakened on March 3 due to the wind shear, and the circulation steered more to the west-northwest. After nearly dissipating on March 5, the thunderstorms reorganized, possibly due to influence from the monsoon. It turned back to the east, possibly due to interaction with the approaching Cyclone Norman in the Australian basin. Convection soon after diminished over the depression, and the system dissipated on March 11 near 90°E. On March 1, Tropical Disturbance 10 formed within the same system that spawned the previous depression, only farther to the west. It also encountered wind shear, preventing much intensification. The system remained nearly stationary and failed to organize more. The MFR issued its last advisory on March 3. The MFR also issued bulletins on Norman as Tropical Disturbance 11, which briefly entered the basin on March 10 before dissipating. Storm names A tropical disturbance is named when it reaches moderate tropical storm strength. If a tropical disturbance reaches moderate tropical storm status west of 55°E, then the Sub-regional Tropical Cyclone Advisory Centre in Madagascar assigns