Tropical Disturbance 3 at 06:00 UTC on December 31. The upper-level environment generally favored further development, but the system failed to develop more initially due to some easterly wind shear. A large ridge to the south steered the nascent disturbance to the west-southwest. After the shear subsided, the system intensified into a moderate tropical storm on January 2, given the name "Ando" by the Mauritius Meteorological Service. Also on that day, the JTWC began issuing advisories on the storm as Tropical Cyclone 04S, and around that time, Ando was passing about 465 km (290 mi) east-southeast of Agaléga island. Ando rapidly intensified after forming and attained tropical cyclone status early on January 4, developing an eye in the center of the thunderstorms and outflow to the east. A tropical low over the southern Mozambique Channel weakened the ridge, causing Ando to turn more to the southwest. Late on January 4, the storm intensified further into an intense tropical cyclone, and early the next day passed about 120 km (75 mi) northeast of Tromelin Island. According to the JTWC, however, Ando attained peak 1 minute winds of 220 km/h (140 mph) late on January 5. In contrast, the MFR assessed Ando as weakening due to the becoming larger and less defined, while still maintaining a small cloud diameter of about 400 km (250 mi). However, the eye re-organized, and Ando attained peak 10 minute winds of 195 km/h (120 mph) on January 6, with a 60 km (35 mi) eye at the time. Continuing around the ridge, the cyclone passed about 205 km (125 mi) west of Réunion that day before starting to weaken due to increased wind shear. On January 8, Ando weakened below tropical cyclone status, and the convection increasingly separated from the circulation while turning to the southeast. On January 10, the storm became extratropical, although the remnants turned back to the northwest due to the ridge, dissipating on January 13. As a developing storm, Ando produced some heavy rain between December 30 and January 2 over Seychelles. Swaziland also reported that Ando drew moisture from the continent, aggravating a persistent dry spell. While near Agaléga island, Ando dropped of rainfall, compared to a January average precipitation there of . On Tromelin Island, gusts peaked at and rainfall reached . Passing north of Réunion, Ando produced gusts of 70 km/h (45 mph) along the coast, but was recorded