Severe tropical cyclone Zoe was one of the most intense tropical cyclones which have been detected at Southern Pacific Ocean. It was first observed 24 December 2002 as a tropical depression about 360 nm to the east of Funafuti in Tuvalu. Over next two days, it slowly drifted west-southwestward whilst gradually building up strength, first advisoriers being issued by Nadi Cyclone Warning Center and Joint Typhoon Warning Center at December 25. On December 26 Zoe began to intensify at very rapid pace, and next day it was classified as Category 5 cyclone on Saffir-Simpson scale, with estimated maximum sustained winds up to 155 knots (287km/h), with 190 knot gusts. Between 27 and 28 December, Zoe moved very little whilst maintaining its intensity. During that time it passed over several small islands in the Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands. Minimum central pressure was estimated to be as low as 879 mbar by JTWC, which would put Zoe amongst ten most intense storms on record. However, it should be noted that as is case in many Pacific storms, direct measurements from storm's center are not available and this number is an estimate based on satellite information and windspeed. This article is about weather phenomena. ... The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a division of the United States Navys Navy Pacific Meteorological and Oceanography Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. ... The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a scale classifying hurricanes by the intensity of their sustained winds, developed in 1969 by civil engineer Herbert Saffir and National Hurricane Center director Bob Simpson. ... A millibar (mbar, also mb) is 1/1000th of a bar, a unit for measurement of pressure. ...

29 December saw Zoe moving again, this time to southeast. It also entered to unfavourable environment for development and began to weaken. It dropped to Category 3 strength by 29 December, and became Category 1 next day. Facing increasing wind shear and colder waters, it continued to decline. Zoe was downgraded to a tropical depression 1 January, 2003, when it was located about 210 nautical miles to the southwest of Nadi. Warnings were discontinued that day, as Zoe became extratropical.

Although Zoe never met large land masses, it did effect several inhabited islands which had total population of around 3700. Worst damage was suffered by island Tikopia which was hit by Zoe's eyewall at its peak intensity. Reports describe devastation as 'total', with almost all vegetation and man-made structures shredded or blown away, and at least two villages being completely washed away by storm surge and waves. Amazingly, no direct fatalities were reported. Inhabitants of the islands took refuge from storm in higher, rocky areas and rode out the storm. Tikopia is the southernmost of the Santa Cruz Islands, located in the province of Temotu. ... Eye of Typhoon Odessa, Pacific Ocean, August 1985 The eyewall is the region of a tropical cyclone where the winds are the highest, the clouds reach furthest into the atmosphere and the precipitation is the heaviest. ...