The first named storm of the 2023-24 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season, Alvaro originated as a tropical disturbance at the Mozambique Channel.

[1] By 29 December, a monsoon trough had produced convection southeast of Beira, Mozambique that spun, as convergence of winds increases within the system's closed surface circulation.

[8] The storm grew a central dense overcast around its ragged, inchoate eye while 269 km (167 mi) east-northeast of Europa Island, continuing east-southeast.

[12] As the storm approached Madagascar, the cloud top pattern slowly degraded as it warmed up, with the eye gradually disappearing due to persistent wind shear.

[13] At 19:20 EAT (16:20 UTC) that day, Alvaro made landfall in Morombe District, Madagascar as a severe tropical storm, with sustained winds of 100 km/h (60 mph).

[15] By 12:00 UTC of 2 January, Alvaro weakened into an overland depression and exhibited the circulation to satellite imagery, only retaining convection over the east quadrant.

[17] Shortly after however, Alvaro would succumb to strong wind shear as mid-level dry air invaded the storm, despite substantial outflow boosted by a subtropical jet.

[25] In response to the disaster, the World Food Programme (WFP) allocated rice, oil, mosquito nets, and other equipment to the affected areas,[27] in cooperation with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).