 On February 27 , a circulation formed within the monsoon trough between Diego Garcia and St. Brandon , displaced due to wind shear , but organized enough for the MFR to track it as Tropical Disturbance 8 . The shear gradually decreased , allowing the thunderstorms to organize as it moved westward . On February 28 , the JTWC classified the system as Tropical Cyclone 15S , and on February 29 the MFR upgraded it to tropical depression status . The depression turned west @-@ northwestward before rounding a ridge and turning to the southwest . The thunderstorms organized into a central dense overcast on March 1 , prompting the MFR to upgrade it to Moderate Tropical Storm Gloria only 150 km ( 95 mi ) from the northeast coast of Madagascar . Gloria continued quickly to the southwest , gradually intensifying and developing an eye feature ; on that basis , the MFR estimated peak 10 ‑ minute winds of 95 km / h ( 60 mph ) , or severe tropical storm status , by the time it made landfall 10 km ( 6 mi ) north of Sambava . Operationally , the JTWC upgraded Gloria to the equivalent of a minimal hurricane , with 1 ‑ minute winds of 120 km / h ( 75 mph ) , although the agency downgraded the storm to the same peak as the MFR . The structure initially remained well @-@ defined , although the circulation became difficult to locate as it progressed through the country . On March 4 , the system exited Madagascar into the Mozambique Channel with scattered thunderstorms slowly reforming . On the next day , the JTWC discontinued advisories , although the MFR continued monitoring the system , labeling it as a tropical disturbance on March 8 . Later that day , Gloria made landfall near Inhambane in southeastern Mozambique before turning to a southward drift , dissipating on March 10 . 
