ning ▁a ▁tropical ▁disturb ance ▁on ▁February   2 2 ▁about ▁half way ▁between ▁Mad agas car ▁and ▁Moz amb ique . ▁The ▁interaction ▁between ▁cool ▁air ▁from ▁the ▁south ▁and ▁warm ▁mon so onal ▁air ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁fue led ▁deep ▁con ve ction . ▁After ▁initially ▁moving ▁to ▁the ▁south , ▁the ▁system ▁turned ▁more ▁to ▁the ▁south west ▁toward ▁Moz amb ique ▁on ▁February   2 4 , ▁developing ▁an ▁eye ▁feature ▁in ▁the ▁center . ▁The ▁J TW C ▁initi ated ▁advis ories ▁that ▁day ▁as ▁Trop ical ▁Cy clone ▁ 1 2 S , ▁although ▁the ▁M FR ▁initially ▁maintained ▁the ▁system ▁as ▁a ▁tropical ▁de pression . ▁The ▁M FR ▁upgrad ed ▁the ▁de pression ▁to ▁tropical ▁storm ▁status ▁on ▁February   2 5 , ▁by ▁which ▁time ▁the ▁J TW C ▁already ▁estimated ▁wind s ▁of ▁ 1 4 0   km / h ▁( 8 5   m ph ). ▁That ▁day , ▁the ▁storm ▁approached ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Moz amb ique ▁within ▁ 1 0 0   km ▁( 6 0   mi ) ▁before ▁turning ▁to ▁the ▁east - n ortheast . ▁On ▁February   2 6 , ▁the ▁M FR ▁named ▁the ▁system ▁Deb ra , ▁and ▁later ▁that ▁day ▁estimated ▁peak ▁ 1 0 ‑ min ute ▁wind s ▁of ▁ 1 1 5   km / h ▁( 7 0   m ph ). ▁In ▁contrast , ▁the ▁J TW C ▁estimated ▁peak ▁ 1 ‑ min ute ▁wind s