[5] The origin of Cheneso can be traced back to an area of persistent showers and thunderstorms south of Diego Garcia, first noted by the Météo–France (MFR) on 10 January 2023.

[7] The system was located in a favorable environment for intensification, as well as warm sea surface temperatures, low to high vertical wind shear.

[8] Despite this, the MFR initiated advisories for the zone of disturbed weather, while the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on 17 January.

Deep convection was wrapping into the curved band pattern, prompting the MFR to upgrade it to a tropical depression status.

[13] At 12:00 UTC on 18 January, the MFR also upgraded the system into a moderate tropical storm status, and the Meteo Madagascar named it Cheneso.

[16] Cheneso continued moving westwards, and by the next day, it had made landfall over northern Madagascar; the JTWC released its final warning on the storm.

[19] During 21 January, Cheneso began to emerge into the Mozambique Channel, the JTWC resumed monitoring and stated the system had the potential to re–develop.

[25][26] Cheneso resumed its organizing trend soon afterward, and at 00:00 UTC on 24 January, the MFR upgraded the system to a tropical depression status.

[29][30] By 03:00 UTC on 25 January, Cheneso strengthened into a Category 1–equivalent tropical cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS), as it neared the coast of Madagascar.

[35] By 12:00 UTC on 26 January, Cheneso was downgraded to severe tropical storm status by the MFR, as it headed in a southeast direction.

[36] By the next day, Cheneso was downgraded to tropical storm status by the JTWC as its LLCC and its surrounding convection became a fragmented cold band.

[40] At 03:00 UTC on 28 January, the JTWC estimated that Cheneso had strengthened into a Category 2–equivalent tropical cyclone, with 1–minute sustained winds at 155 km/h (100 mph).

[48] Local authorities issued an alert of heavy rain in the country's central and western regions, posing an imminent risk of flooding and landslides.