The cyclone caused the deaths of 22 people on its course, affecting parts of the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Eastern Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and New Zealand.

During 26 December, the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) started to monitor a tropical depression that had developed within the Intertropical Convergence Zone, about 575 km (355 mi) to the south-east of Nauru.

[8] As a result of these numbers, the BoM estimated 10 - minute sustained windspeeds of 205 km/h (125 mph) and a minimum pressure of 920 hectopascals (27.17 inHg), which made it a category 5 severe tropical cyclone on the Australian Scale.

[6] During 4 January, Rewa moved back into the South Pacific basin and continued eastward as a weakening category 3 severe tropical cyclone, with 10-minute sustained wind speeds estimated at 140 km/h (85 mph).

[2][6] Over the next 3 days, the residual low-level circulation was steered towards the northwest and Papua New Guinea in a southeasterly trade wind flow generated by a powerful area of high pressure located between New Zealand and Kermadec Islands.

[1][10] During 10 January, Rewa's remnants moved out of the South Pacific basin and back into the Australian region while starting to re-intensify into a tropical cyclone, as a mid to upper-level trough over eastern Australia increased in size.

[2][6] Later that day, Rewa executed a sharp clockwise turn near Tagula Island and started to move towards the southeast and the BoM's area of responsibility while gradually intensifying further.

[2][6] During the next day, the BoM reported that Rewa had weakened into a category 2 tropical cyclone as it recurved and started to move towards the south-east about 265 km (165 mi) to the east of Mackay, Queensland.

[2] During January 21, the BoM and the JTWC reported that Rewa had weakened below cyclone strength, as the system moved back into the South Pacific basin for the third and final time.

[2][4][10] Twenty-two people lost their lives in accidents caused by Cyclone Rewa, while it affected parts off the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and New Zealand.

[14] As it moved towards the north-west between 6–8 January, Rewa brought high seas and strong winds to parts of the island nation including the provinces of Shefa and Tafea.

[14] Between 19–24 January, Rewa's remnants, a slow moving weather front over Fiordland and a southerly brought widespread rainfall and flooding to New Zealand's South Island.

[16][17] Several landslides and a death were recorded within New Caledonia, while on the Loyalty Island of Mare, waves from Rewa partially destroyed the harbour wall at Tadine's port.

[6][18] Before Rewa affected the country, cyclone alerts and warnings were issued for Sudest, Rossel and Samarai islands, while authorities urged people not to go to beaches.

[26] A military training exercise that was due to take place in Shoalwater Bay had to be cancelled, with army personnel evacuated to Rockhampton to avoid being cut off by flood waters.

As Rewa interacted with an upper trough of low pressure on 19 January, heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were observed in parts of Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

[28][30] Within Brisbane, 100 homes and 20 cars were damaged by the flood waters, while a Sheffield Shield cricket match between Western Australia and Queensland was delayed, after the Gabba resembled a small lake.