severe tropical storm on December 26, estimating 10‑minute winds of . On December 27, the JTWC upgraded Astride to the equivalent of a minimal hurricane due to the appearance of an eye feature, estimating 1‑minute winds of . Later that day, the storm weakened unexpectedly, perhaps related to wind shear from a trough to the south. The convection deteriorated markedly, and the weakening storm turned more to the west-northwest on December 29 due to a weaker ridge. Convection reorganized slightly, although it was dislocated from the center. Early on December 30, the storm passed about northeast of Tromelin Island. Curving back to the west, Astride struck northeastern Madagascar between Vohemar and Antsiranana on December 31 as a minimal tropical storm. It emerged into the Mozambique Channel as a tropical depression, and despite forecasts to the contrary, it reintensified into a tropical storm before passing near Mayotte on January 2. Early the next day, Astride weakened back to tropical depression status before moving ashore eastern Mozambique near Pemba, dissipating soon after. On Tromelin, Astride brought strong winds, including 10‑minute sustained winds of and gusts to . No damage was reported in Madagascar during the storm's passage there. When Astride passed just south of Mayotte, it brought gusts to , strong enough to knock over some banana trees and to destroy a stone house. The storm also dropped of rainfall over 24 hours, including in one hour. Heavy rainfall accompanied Astride's final landfall, penetrating as far inland as Malawi. Tropical Cyclone Babiola Toward the beginning of January, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) remained active across much of the basin, with low pressure and widespread thunderstorms. One such area persisted southeast of Diego Garcia and organized sufficiently to be classified as a tropical disturbance on January 3. That day, the JTWC issued the first of three Tropical Cyclone Formation Alerts, noting the increase in convection. The system moved to the northeast along the southeastern edge of a ridge near the equator, but turned back to the southwest on January 5. That day, convection increased over the center, after having previously been dislocated due to wind shear. Late on January 5, the JTWC initiated advisories on Tropical Cyclone 02S, and on the next day, the MFR upgraded the system to Tropical Storm Babiola. The storm accelerated to the southwest and continued to intensity. An irregular eye formed on January 8, prompting the MFR to