on 17 january, the australian bureau of meteorology's tropical cyclone warning centres and the united states joint typhoon warning center started to monitor a tropical low that had developed within a marginal environment for further development over the gulf of carpentaria. over the next two days, the cyclone slightly developed further before the system made landfall to the southwest of borroloola early on 19 january, where the possibility for further development became stifled. by 20 january, the system completed a clockwise loop before re-emerging into the gulf of carpentaria. once back over water, the system quickly organised and strengthened into tropical cyclone oswald early on 21 january. at the same time, the jtwc began monitoring the system as tropical cyclone 11p.