These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the southern Pacific Ocean east of 160°E.

Both agencies expected that the season would see a near average amount of tropical cyclone activity due there being no El Niño or La Niña.

NIWA also predicted that there was an average risk of a tropical cyclone coming within 550 km (340 mi), of: Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, the Southern Cook Islands, Samoa, and New Zealand.

[5] Not long after reaching its peak, increased wind shear, cooler waters, and faster forward motion caused the storm to weaken.

[8] Heavy rains exaggerated flooding produced by Cyclone Tam earlier in January and caused minor crop damages.

Despite being well to the west of that country, Cyclone Jim was blamed for extensive flooding in Fiji, with the western coast of the island of Viti Levu – including the city of Lautoka – inundated by floodwaters on January 29.

Vaianu then struck the Tonga islands as a Category 1 cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson scale, knocking down power lines and flattening crops, such as banana and mango trees.

It moved westwards and slowly strengthened into a Category 3 cyclone on the Australian scale before coming to a near standstill over the Coral Sea.

The remains of Wati brought heavy rain and strong winds to the North Island of New Zealand on March 26, with gusts of 140 km/h reported at Cape Reinga.

[15] At this time the system was poorly organized and located within a region of weak vertical wind shear, to the southeast of an upper-level outflow.

[15] Over the next couple of days, atmospheric convection surrounding the system failed to become organized and became displaced to the east and south of the center, as it moved south-eastwards into an area of increasing vertical wind shear.

[17][18] During the following day, the FMS reported that Tropical Depression 02F had developed within an area of moderate vertical wind shear, about 880 km (545 mi) to the northeast of Port Vila in Vanuatu.

[27][28] The system was slowly moving within an area of high vertical wind shear with atmospheric convection, displaced about 220 km (135 mi) to the east of the low level circulation centre.

[28][29] During April 20, the FMS reported that Tropical Depression 17F had developed to the east of the International Date Line, about 500 km (310 mi) to the southeast of Suva, Fiji.

[30][31] Over the next day the system moved south-eastwards and remained weak and exposed, with deep convection displaced to the south and east of the low level circulation centre.