1996 Atlantic hurricane season

1996 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formed	June 17, 1996
Last system dissipated	November 26, 1996
Strongest storm
Name	Edouard
• Maximum winds	145 mph (230 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
• Lowest pressure	933 mbar (hPa; 27.55 inHg)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions	13, 1 unofficial
Total storms	13, 1 unofficial
Hurricanes	9
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+)	6
Total fatalities	256 total
Total damage	~ $6.517 billion (1996 USD)
Related articles
Timeline of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season 1996 Pacific hurricane season 1996 Pacific typhoon season 1996 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
Atlantic hurricane seasons 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998

The 1996 Atlantic hurricane season had the most major hurricanes since 1950, which are Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale.^[1] The season was above-average, featuring a total of thirteen named storms, nine hurricanes, and six major hurricanes. The season officially began on June 1, 1996 and ended on November 30, 1996, dates which conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season's first tropical cyclone, Tropical Storm Arthur, developed on June 17, while the final cyclone, Hurricane Marco dissipated on November 26. The most intense hurricane, Edouard, was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that affected portions of the Mid-Atlantic states and New England. The season featured nine tropical cyclone landfalls, including six hurricanes, one of which was a major hurricane. In total, six major hurricanes formed during the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season—the highest number produced in a single season since 1950.

The four most notable tropical cyclones of the season were hurricanes Bertha, Cesar, Fran, and Hortense. Bertha made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on the coast of North Carolina, causing a total of 12 deaths and $335 million (1996 USD) in damage. Hurricane Fran made landfall in the same general area a little over a month later as a Category 3 hurricane, causing 37 deaths and $5 billion in damage. Hurricane Cesar developed in the east Caribbean during late-July, struck Nicaragua, then crossed into the Pacific as a tropical storm, at which time it was given the name Douglas. The system produced strong winds and flooding, leading to 113 deaths and $202.96 million in damage. Finally, Hurricane Hortense formed in the east Atlantic during the month of September and crossed Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, causing 39 direct deaths and $158 million in damage. Collectively, the tropical cyclones of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season caused $6.52 billion in damage and 256 deaths.