Severe Tropical Cyclone Zoe was estimated to be one of the most intense tropical cyclones on record within the Southern Hemisphere. The system was first noted on December 23, 2002 as a tropical depression that had developed, within the South Pacific Convergence Zone to the east of Tuvalu. Over the next couple of days the system moved south-westwards and crossed the International Dateline early on December 25. After this the system became better organized and was declared to be a tropical cyclone and named Zoe later that day; it became a Category 5 tropical cyclone.