 A weak low pressure area was evident in the Australian basin as early as February 13 between the Cocos Islands and Christmas Island . It meandered for several days , executing a small loop , before beginning a westward motion . After passing south of the Cocos Islands , the system intensified into a tropical storm on February 18 and was named Leon . On the next day , the storm crossed into the south @-@ west Indian Ocean , whereupon the Mauritius Meteorological Service renamed it Hanitra . The storm quickly intensified once it entered the basin . The JTWC , which designated the storm as Tropical Cyclone 11S , upgraded Hanitra to the equivalent of a minimal hurricane late on February 19 . On February 22 , the agency estimated peak 1 ‑ minute winds of 230 km / h ( 145 mph ) , by which time Hanitra had begun a steady southwest motion . By contrast , the MFR assessed slower strengthening , only upgrading it to tropical cyclone status on February 23 and estimating peak 10 ‑ minute winds of 150 km / h ( 95 mph ) . The storm gradually accelerated to the south and weakened , becoming extratropical over time . The motion shifted to the southeast on February 28 , and Hanitra dissipated the next day . 
