On 13 January 1985 the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) started to monitor a shallow depression, that had developed within the monsoon trough about 835 km (520 mi) to the west of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu.

[1] Over the next day as the system moved eastwards it developed further, with satellite imagery showing an increase in the "cyclonic curvature" of the "convective cloud".

[1] As a result, early on 14 January, the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC) reported that the systems chances of becoming a tropical cyclone were good.

[1] Eric subsequently became equivalent to a category 3 severe tropical cyclone early the next day, before an Air Pacific flight from Fiji to the Solomon Islands located the systems eye on radar.

[1] The eye subsequently appeared on satellite imagery later that day, before it came into the range of Nadi airports surveillance radar at around 00:30 UTC (12:30 FST) on 17 January.

[1] The FMS were subsequently able to perform fixes on the systems eye until around 07:00 UTC (19:00 FST), when the radars antenna had to be taken down and locked away as the wind speeds at Nadi increased.

[4] At around 10:45 UTC (22:45 FST) after the winds at Nadi had decreased the FMS were able to bring the radar back into operation and noted that Eric's eye region had been modified by the landmass of Viti-Levu.

[1] After affecting the Tongan islands, Eric moved south-eastwards and gradually weakened further before it was last noted during 20 January, over 1,800 km (1,120 mi) to the south of Papeete, French Polynesia.

[1][14] Heavy rain associated with the system helped ease a drought in the island nation, while all 3 cyclones disrupted inter-island transport.

[5] Throughout the region relief centers were set up to accommodate the homeless, before they were closed towards the end of January with victims given various shelter materials and food supplies.

[5][18] During 22 January, the Fijian Government outlined their long-term rehabilitation needs and requested international assistance from the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization and other countries.