Continuing to intensify as it tracked through the Luzon Strait, Amy reached its peak intensity of 175 km/h (110 mph) on July 18.

The storm's large size resulted in flooding, and high winds blew ash from erupting Mount Pinatubo across the Philippines.

Increased convection, slight pressure falls within a 24-hour period at Yap, and the lack of vertical wind shear led to the issuance of a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert during the late morning hours of July 14 by the JTWC.

[2][nb 3] Although the overall cloud organization remained poor, deep convection persisted and a second alert was issued at 10:00 UTC on July 15.

The JTWC upgraded the depression into Tropical Storm Amy at 00:00 UTC on July 16, with the JMA following suit six hours later.

Following the passing of the trough, strong subsidence allowed for the ridge to re-strengthen,[1] resulting in a more westerly track by July 17.

Volcanic debris from Mount Pinatubo's slopes loosened by heavy rain destroyed approximately 500 houses throughout the country,[5] including 300 in Floridablanca, 50 in Santa Rita, and 130 in Concepcion.

[10] Offshore, a 460 tonnes (505 short tons) ship Emerald capsized, resulting in the rescue of 83 passengers and 21 crewmen in addition to two deaths and two others missing.

[13] In the Taiwan Strait, a Cypriot ship Blue River with 31 crew members on board vanished on high seas.

[1] The outer fringes of the typhoon lashed Taiwan, resulting in high winds and triggering landslides that blocked roads.

[14] A man was killed when his car rammed a truck in heavy rain while two fisherman caught in high waves were presumed to have drowned.

[16] Heavy rains spread across eastern Guangdong, peaking at 228 mm (9.0 in) in Fengshun County,[17] while also providing drought relief to the area.

[18] The typhoon also inflicted heavy damage across the province, with the hardest hit areas located near Shantou, where the storm made landfall.

The lowest sea-level pressure of 994 mbar (29.4 inHg) was recorded at the Hong Kong Royal Observatory shortly before landfall in mainland China.

Scaffoldings at North Point collapsed due to strong winds, and a man in Sai Kung was injured after he was blown off a ladder.