Before the emergence of Cyclone Winston, cyclones such as Nina and Kina were notable weather events. On January 1, 1993, The Fiji Times reported that Cyclone Kina was situated about 470 kilometers northwest of Nadi and had remained stationary since the previous Tuesday. Concurrently, Cyclone Nina, which began in the Gulf of Carpentaria, was moving eastward toward Kina.
Rajendra Prasad, the acting director of Meteorology, indicated that the interactions between the two cyclones were uncertain. He mentioned that while the impact of Cyclone Nina on Kina was indeterminate, the two systems could not merge; one cyclone would ultimately dominate the other. Prasad noted that Cyclone Nina was slightly less intense than Kina but was expected to increase in strength, calling the situation “fairly complicated.”
Should Cyclone Nina continue on its eastward path, it was predicted that Kina would shift between East and South. Prasad observed that Kina might remain slow-moving until Nina moved close enough to influence its pathway. He reiterated the complexity of the situation and urged patience until a clearer trend in Kina’s direction emerged. At that time, Cyclone Kina was producing hurricane-force winds with maximum average speeds of 75 knots and gusts reaching up to 110 knots. Satellite imagery indicated poor cloud organization and an indiscernible eye of the cyclone.
Fiji was under a cyclone alert, but it was believed that the country would not experience immediate direct impacts from the cyclone. In preparation, residents in the west were securing their homes. Blue Lagoon Cruises halted operations for safety reasons, while Nadi Airport continued to operate without interruptions. The Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji confirmed that safety measures were already in place.
Resorts in the Yasawas and Mamanucas were reinforcing their facilities, and tourists from offshore resorts were moving to the mainland to catch their international flights. In Lautoka, the Disaster Management Services Committee convened to address the evolving situation. Additionally, it was reported that new weather and wind radar equipment, which Fiji aimed to acquire with Australian funding, would not be installed before the 1993-94 financial year. An Australian team was set to visit Nadi the following month to evaluate the requirements and discuss potential installation sites, along with plans for a new weather station in Nadi.