Originating as tropical low over the Timor Sea on 30 January, Fletcher quickly became an organised system as it moved over the Top End region of the Northern Territory.

[1] Westerly monsoonal flow from the north promoted a steady east-southeast track,[2] Early on 2 February, the low emerged over the Gulf of Carpentaria near the Northern Territory–Queensland border.

[1] Moderate to strong wind shear produced by an upper-level low to the south initially inhibited development, keeping convective activity limited to isolated bursts around an exposed low-level circulation.

[3] Throughout 2 February, environmental conditions quickly turned more favorable for tropical cyclogenesis, with a newly formed anticyclone over the low lessening shear.

[4] Improved radar presentation and surface observations of near-gale winds prompted the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) to upgrade the system to a tropical cyclone early on 3 February; coincidingly, they assigned the name Fletcher to the storm.

[1] Contrary to the BOM, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) maintained the system as a tropical disturbance with one-minute sustained winds estimated at 55 km/h (35 mph) and a pressure of 998 hPa (29.47 inHg).

[8] The poorly organised system became difficult to follow, though a small central dense overcast feature along the south side of its center allowed forecasters to discern its location.

[9] Despite moving back over water on 5 February and environmental conditions favoring redevelopment, convection failed to form around the low and instead, continued to flare along the convergence zone to the north.

[11] Maintaining a general westward track, the remnants of Fletcher gradually weakened and were last noted on 12 February over the Alice Springs District in the Northern Territory.

[1] As the precursor tropical low to Cyclone Fletcher produced heavy rains across much of the Top End region in late January and early February,[1] the BOM issued flood advisories for the Darwin-Daly Districts.

[1] Rising to 12.5 m (41 ft), the river inundated mostly rural areas, including a cattle farm in Mount Bundy Station where a calf had to be rescued by boat.

[1] Darwin experienced several days of heavy rains and squally winds from the system, with accumulations reaching 125.8 mm (4.95 in) and gusts peaking at 80 km/h (50 mph) on 31 January.