 Severe Tropical Cyclone Anne was one of the most intense tropical cyclones within the South Pacific basin during the 1980s . The cyclone was first noted on January 5 , 1988 as a weak tropical depression to the northeast of Tuvalu , in conjunction with the future Typhoon Roy in the North @-@ Western Pacific basin . Over the next few days , the system gradually developed while moving southwestward . Once it became a tropical cyclone , it was named Anne on January 8 . The next day , Anne rapidly intensified , becoming the fourth major tropical cyclone to affect Vanuatu within four years . On January 11 , Anne peaked in intensity while it was equivalent to a Category 5 on the Saffir – Simpson hurricane wind scale , and a Category 4 on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale . After turning southward on January 12 , Anne struck New Caledonia , becoming the strongest tropical cyclone to affect the French Overseas Territory . The system subsequently weakened as it started to interact with Tropical Cyclone Agi . Anne weakened into a depression and was last noted on January 14 to the south @-@ east of New Caledonia . 
