 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. 
