While the system was not monitored by the Bureau of Meteorology, it was considered a tropical storm by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).

Blanch, entered the Australian region basin on 22 May, and dissipated on 27 May 1987, off the east coast of Australia.

The precursor tropical low to Cyclone Uma formed within the region on 4 February, before it crossed 160°E and moved into the South Pacific basin later that day.

[4] The precursor tropical low to Cyclone Veli formed during the next day, about 725 km (450 mi) to the south-east of Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.

[4] During the next day, the low moved eastward and gradually developed further, before it became equivalent to a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Australian scale, as it reached its 10-minute sustained windspeeds of 85 km/h (55 mph).