[1] The system encountered warm sea surface temperatures, and favorable inflow from the south of its circulation was expected to increase after Subtropical Depression Dando dissipated over southern Africa.

[7] Funso rapidly intensified after the eye became better established, and the MF upgraded the storm to a tropical cyclone – the equivalent of a 120 km/h (75 mph) hurricane – early on January 20.

[9] Shortly after Funso intensified into a tropical cyclone, the eye disappeared on satellite imagery,[10] although this was due to the small size of the eyewall.

[13] Despite land interaction, Funso intensified further, and the JTWC assessed 1 minute winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) early on January 21, based on the appearance of a well-defined eye 15 km (9.3 mi) in diameter.

[14] Around the same time, MF estimated the storm attained 10 minute maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h (103 mph), making Funso an intense tropical cyclone.

[20] Early the next day, MF estimated 10 minute sustained winds of 205 km/h (127 mph) about 330 km (210 mi) southeast of Quelimane, Mozambique.

The agency noted that the eyewall replacement cycle finished and produced a well-defined eye 28 km (17 mi) in diameter.

On January 28, Funso rapidly weakened and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone, due to exposure to strong vertical wind shear, and colder sea surface temperatures below 25 °C.

During the overnight hours of January 18, a ship carrying 54 people sank on its way from Anjouan to Mayotte amidst rough seas produced by Funso, while the developing storm remained offshore in its early stages.

[31] Seven of the fatalities occurred in the Maganja da Costa District, where 1,610 houses were destroyed,[32] and one death was in Zambezia's capital city of Quelimane, where heavy rainfall flooded most neighborhoods, owing to poor drainage systems.

[34] In Chokwe, at least 3,900 hectares of rice fields[32] were flooded, while three people were missing in Guijá District, Gaza Province on January 25.

[36] The cyclone hit the country about a week after Subtropical Depression Dando struck southern Mozambique, causing flooding and deaths.

[38] In Malawi, a country adjacent to Mozambique, the cyclone dropped heavy rainfall, causing two rivers near Nsanje to exceed their banks and flood nearby villages.

[39] Authorities were concerned about the fate of more than 450 families that lost their homes in the southern Nsanje District due to the effects of Funso, which mostly affected Bangula and Phokela, as three rivers overflowed.