Over the next few days, the system gradually intensified under the influence of divergent upper level easterlies, while it moved towards the south-southwest, passing through the Solomon Islands before starting to affect the south-eastern islands of Papua New Guinea.
Over the next couple of days the disturbance moved towards the south-southwest, under the influence of a north-easterly flow, and gradually developed further. During 29 December, the system slowly deepened further, while continuing to move towards the south-southwest and passed through the Solomon Islands before starting to affect the south-eastern islands of Papua New Guinea.