S . ▁On ▁February   2 7 , ▁the ▁J TW C ▁estimated ▁El ma ▁att ained ▁peak ▁ 1 ‑ min ute ▁wind s ▁of ▁ 1 1 0   km / h ▁( 7 0   m ph ), ▁before ▁assess ing ▁the ▁storm ▁as ▁weak ening . ▁In ▁contrast , ▁the ▁M FR ▁estimated ▁Em la ▁continued ▁to ▁slowly ▁intens ify ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 0 ‑ min ute ▁peak ▁strength ▁of ▁ 1 0 5   km / h ▁( 6 5   m ph ) ▁on ▁March   1 . ▁Short ly ▁there after , ▁the ▁storm ▁crossed ▁ 9 0 °   E ▁into ▁the ▁Australian ▁region , ▁where ▁the ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Meteor ology ▁estimated ▁that ▁El ma ▁entered ▁at ▁tropical ▁cy clone ▁status . ▁Ste ady ▁weak ening ▁comm enced ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁a ▁tr ough ▁and ▁cool er ▁waters . ▁El ma ▁weak ened ▁to ▁the ▁equivalent ▁of ▁tropical ▁de pression ▁status ▁by ▁March   3 ▁before ▁turning ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁west . ▁On ▁March   5 , ▁the ▁system ▁rec ross ed ▁ 9 0 °   E ▁into ▁the ▁south - west ▁Indian ▁Ocean , ▁diss ip ating ▁shortly ▁there after . ▁ ▁Trop ical ▁Cy clone ▁F at ima ▁ ▁A ▁sur ge ▁in ▁the ▁mon so on ▁tr ough ▁spawn ed ▁what ▁would ▁become ▁Cy clone ▁F at ima ▁to ▁the ▁south west ▁of ▁Sum atra . ▁On ▁March   2 1 , ▁the ▁M FR ▁identified ▁a ▁tropical