On February 23, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) started to monitor a shallow depression, that had developed about 485 km (300 mi) to the north-northwest of Suva, Fiji.
The system subsequently developed further as it moved westwards and was declared a tropical cyclone and named Oscar by the FMS during February 24.
Over the next few days Oscar subsequently intensified as it moved westwards and gradually developed further.
During February 27, Oscar became equivalent to a Category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone, on the modern day Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale as it started to move towards the south-east and Fiji.
The system subsequently continued to intensify during that day with the eye appearing on satellite imagery, before it came into the range of the Nadi International Airport's radar at around 03:30 UTC (15:30 FST) on February 28.
The radar imagery showed that the system had an eye within a better defined and larger concentric eye and allowed the FMS to perform hourly fixes on the systems position.
Later that day at 12:00 UTC (00:00 FST, March 1), the FMS reported that the system had peaked with estimated 10-minute sustained wind speeds of 185 km/h (115 mph) which made it a Category 4 Severe Tropical Cyclone, .
The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center subsequently reported six hours later that the system had peaked with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 185 km/h (115 mph), which made it equivalent to a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.

Early on March 1, as Oscar passed about 90 km (55 mi) to the west-southwest of Nadi, it was decided to secure Nadi's radar dish and the satellite antennae as storm-force winds outside gusted to 140 km/h (85 mph).
During that day the system started to weaken while sustained winds of between 115–125 km/h (71–78 mph) were observed on Viti Levu, with a maximum wind gust of 185 km/h (115 mph) recorded at Nadi Airport.
After wind gusts dropped and the pressure rose at Nadi, the radar was able to be brought back into operation at around 12:00 UTC (00:00 FST, March 2).
The radar's poor image suggested that Oscar was now located to the south of Sigatoka, having accelerated from 7 to 15 km/h (4 to 9 mph) while the radar was shut down.
Later that day the system wobbled towards the south-southeast, as it approached the island of Beqa, which spared the Fijian Capital of Suva from Oscar's worst effects.
The system subsequently made landfall on the island of Kandavu at around 22:00 UTC (10:00 FST, March 2), before it left the Fijian group of islands during March 2.
The system subsequently rapidly weakened before it was last noted during March 6, while it was located about 2,400 km (1,490 mi) to the south-east of Suva, Fiji.
On February 23, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) started to monitor a shallow depression, that had developed about 485 km (300 mi) to the north-northwest of Suva, Fiji. The system subsequently developed further as it moved westwards and was declared a tropical cyclone and named Oscar by the FMS during February 24. Over the next few days Oscar subsequently intensified as it moved westwards and gradually developed further. During February 27, Oscar became equivalent to a Category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone, on the modern day Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale as it started to move towards the south-east and Fiji. The system subsequently continued to intensify during that day with the eye appearing on satellite imagery, before it came into the range of the Nadi International Airport's radar at around 03:30 UTC (15:30 FST) on February 28. The radar imagery showed that the system had an eye within a better defined and larger concentric eye and allowed the FMS to perform hourly fixes on the systems position. Later that day at 12:00 UTC (00:00 FST, March 1), the FMS reported that the system had peaked with estimated 10-minute sustained wind speeds of 185 km/h (115 mph) which made it a Category 4 Severe Tropical Cyclone, . The United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center subsequently reported six hours later that the system had peaked with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 185 km/h (115 mph), which made it equivalent to a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.
Early on March 1, as Oscar passed about 90 km (55 mi) to the west-southwest of Nadi, it was decided to secure Nadi's radar dish and the satellite antennae as storm-force winds outside gusted to 140 km/h (85 mph). During that day the system started to weaken while sustained winds of between 115–125 km/h (71–78 mph) were observed on Viti Levu, with a maximum wind gust of 185 km/h (115 mph) recorded at Nadi Airport. After wind gusts dropped and the pressure rose at Nadi, the radar was able to be brought back into operation at around 12:00 UTC (00:00 FST, March 2). The radar's poor image suggested that Oscar was now located to the south of Sigatoka, having accelerated from 7 to 15 km/h (4 to 9 mph) while the radar was shut down. Later that day the system wobbled towards the south-southeast, as it approached the island of Beqa, which spared the Fijian Capital of Suva from Oscar's worst effects. The system subsequently made landfall on the island of Kandavu at around 22:00 UTC (10:00 FST, March 2), before it left the Fijian group of islands during March 2. The system subsequently rapidly weakened before it was last noted during March 6, while it was located about 2,400 km (1,490 mi) to the south-east of Suva, Fiji.
Cyclone Oscar