Accelerating to the southeast, the cyclone began to cross over cool sea surface temperatures and encountered wind shear.

Damage sustained to crops was also severe, especially the sugar cane, where production decreased by 15% due to Ami.

On January 9, 2003, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) started to monitor a weak tropical depression, that had developed within a monsoon trough about 800 km (495 mi) to the northwest of Apia, Samoa.

[1] Tracking southwest, the storm was named Tropical Cyclone Ami at approximately 0000 UTC on January 12 under favorable upper-level diffluence facilitated by the nearby ridge of high pressure.

With minimal wind shear and a good outflow pattern, Ami achieved severe tropical cyclone intensity at 0600 UTC on January 13.

[5] A poorly defined eye feature became visible on satellite imagery, at which point the storm was situated around 160 mi (260 km) north-northeast of Labasa.

The cyclone made landfall on Vanua Levu with a minimum barometric pressure of 960 hPa (28.35 inHg) before subsequently crossing the western tip of Taveuni.

[4] While located about 60 miles south of Lakeba – at 0600 UTC on January 14 – the storm reached its peak intensity with 10-minute maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (140 km/h) and a pressure of 950 mbar (28 inHg).

[7] Accelerating toward the southeast with forward speed reaching 40 mph (64 km/h), Ami began to gradually weaken due to resuming wind shear and increasingly cool waters.

Ami lost all tropical characteristics by 1200 UTC on January 15, although its remnants continued eastward to a point well south of Rarotonga.

[15] 150 soldiers from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces were on standby in Suva in preparation for sending equipment to affected areas.

Fijian patrol boats carrying emergency supplies were also headed for affected regions to provide medical and shelter equipment.

[17] The Fiji Red Cross Society (FRCS) provided assistance and emergency supplies to at least 2,000 families affected by the storm.

[11] In addition, the World Bank proposed disaster mitigation and adaptation to help reduce flood impact in Fiji.