The system moved generally westward while slowly developing, finally attaining tropical storm status on February 11.

Soon after, wind shear caused the system to lose organization and remain as a minimal tropical storm through February 11 and 12.

After traversing the Philippine Islands, Sanba failed to reorganize significantly in the Sulu Sea and dissipated two days later west of Palawan.

From February 12 to 16, Sanba caused heavy rains, floods, and landslides across the southern and central Philippines, affecting over 250,000 people.

[2] Amid generally favorable environmental conditions consisting of warm sea surface temperatures around 28–29 °C (82–84 °F) and moderate wind shear, the disturbance began to develop rainbands and a more well-defined circulation.

[3] At 00:00 UTC on February 8, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) deemed the system to have consolidated into a tropical depression.

[4][10][nb 3] The convective organization of Sanba quickly unraveled over the remainder of February 11, as wind shear caused the storm's low-level circulation center to become exposed.

[14] Despite the warm ocean waters of the Philippine Sea and strong outflow channels facilitating thunderstorm development, wind shear kept convection displaced to the northwest of Sanba's center.

[4][10] On February 13, at around 01:15 UTC, Sanba made landfall in Cortes, Surigao del Sur as a tropical storm.

[10] Soon after, strong southeasterly wind shear removed thunderstorm activity from the center once again,[22] leading the JTWC to declare Sanba to have degenerated into a tropical disturbance for the final time.

[30] The system brought only mild tropical storm conditions and minor flooding to Palau, with no significant damage reported.

[31] Just before Sanba entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on February 11, the PAGASA issued Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) #1 for the Dinagat Islands and three provinces in Mindanao.

The 402nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army deployed four battalions in Caraga to conduct disaster response operations.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, in combination with local government units, provided ₱11.6 million (US$220,000) worth of assistance to affected residents in Caraga, Mimaropa, and the Central and Eastern Visayas.