North Atlantic Ocean

An average Atlantic hurricane season features 12 tropical storms, 6 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes, and features an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) count of 106. In the season, all of them were reached, featuring 13 tropical storms, 9 hurricanes, and 6 major hurricanes, with an ACE total of 166. A rare subtropical storm also formed in mid-September, that affected the Northeastern United States and the nearby Eastern Canada.

The season had the most major hurricanes since 1950 and 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.

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 and crossed Nicaragua into the eastern Pacific as a strong tropical storm several days later, at which time it earned 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 eastern 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.

Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean

An average Pacific hurricane season features 15 tropical storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes, and features an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) count of 132. In the season, the statistics fell below the average list, with 9 tropical storms, 5 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes.

It was a below-average season; however, it recorded a four Pacific hurricanes striking Mexico. In addition, one Atlantic hurricane, Hurricane Cesar, crossed into this zone from the Atlantic Ocean and was renamed Douglas.^[2] None of the systems in the eastern north Pacific crossed 140°W and entered the central Pacific. The last time that happened was in the 1979 season.^[3]

In the central north Pacific, one tropical depression formed. In addition, a depression crossed the dateline from the western Pacific before dissipating in this basin. None of these two systems reached tropical storm strength.^[4] In addition, data from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, on September 1, Tropical Depression Rick crossed the International Date Line, entering into CPHC's area of responsibility;^[5] however, this storm was not included into CPHC database. The storm eventually became extratropical on September 3 over open waters.

In terms of the number of storms, the season was below average. Despite this, there were a large number of landfalls. Of note is the fact that three tropical cyclones approached close to, or made landfall on, Mexico during a ten-day span from June 23 to July 3.^[6] In all, a record-setting four hurricanes (Alma, Boris, Fausto, and Hernan) struck the coastline.^[7]

Western Pacific Ocean

The average typhoon season lasts year-round, with the majority of the storms forming between May and October. An average Pacific typhoon season features 26 tropical storms, 16 typhoons, and 9 super typhoons (unofficial category). It also features an average Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) count of approximately 294; the basin is typically the most active basin for tropical cyclone formation. The statistics were reached, except the number of super typhoons, which fell below the list. The season featured 30 tropical storms, 16 typhoons, and 6 super typhoons. The first tropical depression formed on January 12 and the last storm dissipated on December 27.

The strongest and the deadliest typhoon of the year was Typhoon Herb, which also became the largest, and the fourth-wettest tropical cyclone to affect Taiwan. It killed over 284 people and left $5 billion worth of damages as it affected the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, and China as a super typhoon. Frankie left 104 deaths as it passed near Vietnam. Marty formed over southern China and resulted in the deaths of 125 people as it affected the same country.

During most of the year, sea surface temperatures were moderately below normal near the equator, and were highest around 160° E from August to October, due to the prevailing La Niña. Overall, there were 30 named storms in the basin in 1996, which was slightly above the norm of 27. A total of 15 of the 30 storms became typhoons.

North Indian Ocean

The 1996 North Indian Ocean cyclone season featured several deadly tropical cyclones, with over 2,000 people killed during the year. It was a slightly average season, featuring nine tropical cyclones, five cyclonic storms, four severe cyclonic storms, two very severe cyclonic storms; however, it has no super cyclonic storm.

The first system originated on May 7 in the Bay of Bengal, which is the body of water east of India; the storm developed in tandem with a storm in the southern hemisphere, and ultimately struck Bangladesh. Three storms formed in June. The first struck Oman and later caused devastating flooding in Yemen, killing 338 people and causing $1.2 billion in damage.^{[nb 1]} The other two storms struck opposite sides of India, collectively resulting in 226 deaths after causing widespread flooding. After a brief land depression in July and a weak depression in early October, the season featured four notable cyclones beginning in late October. A low-pressure area moved across southern India, killing 388 people before taking an unusual track in the Arabian Sea. At the end of October, a deep depression killed 14 people in Bangladesh. The strongest cyclone of the season was also the deadliest, killing 1,077 people when it struck Andhra Pradesh in early November. The final storm of the season executed a rare loop in the Bay of Bengal before weakening and striking southern India in early December, killing seven.

South-West Indian Ocean

Australian region

South Pacific Ocean

South Atlantic Ocean

According to the Zambia Meteorological Department, Cyclone Bonita moved off the coast of Angola and entered the South Atlantic Ocean on January 19, 1996. By the next day, the system had succumbed to cold waters and days of land interaction, dissipating completely. It was the first tropical cyclone known to have traversed southern Africa from the South-West Indian Ocean to the South Atlantic.^[11]

Mediterranean Sea

Three notable medicanes developed in the month of September. The first, in mid-September 1996, was a typical Mediterranean tropical cyclone that developed in the Balearic Islands region. At the time of the cyclone's formation, a powerful Atlantic cold front and a warm front associated with a large-scale low, producing northeasterly winds over the Iberian peninsula, extended eastward into the Mediterranean, while abundant moisture gathered in the lower troposphere over the Balearic channel. On the morning of 12 September, a disturbance developed off of Valencia, Spain, dropping heavy rainfall on the coast even without coming ashore. An eye developed shortly thereafter as the system rapidly traversed across Majorca and Sardinia in its eastward trek. It made landfall upon the coast of southern Italy on the evening of 13 September with a minimum atmospheric pressure of 990 mbar (29 inHg), dissipating shortly after coming ashore, with a diameter of about 150 km (93 mi).

The second of the three recorded Mediterranean tropical cyclones in 1996 formed between Sicily and Tunisia on 4 October, making landfall on both Sicily and southern Italy. The medicane generated major flooding in Sicily. In Calabria, wind gusts of up to 108 km/h (67 mph) were reported in addition to severe inundation.

The third major Mediterranean tropical cyclone of that year formed north of Algeria, and strengthened while sweeping between the Balearic Islands and Sardinia, with an eye-like feature prominent on satellite. The storm was unofficially named Cornelia. The eye of the storm was distorted and disappeared after transiting over southern Sardinia throughout the evening of 8 October, with the system weakening as a whole. On the morning of October 9, a smaller eye emerged as the system passed over the Tyrrhenian Sea, gradually strengthening, with reports 100 km (62 mi) from the storm's center reporting winds of 90 km/h (56 mph). Extreme damage was reported in the Aeolian Islands after the tropical cyclone passed north of Sicily, though the system dissipated while turning southward over Calabria. Overall, the lowest estimated atmospheric pressure in the third medicane was 998 mbar (29.5 inHg). Both October systems featured distinctive spiral bands, intense convection, high sustained winds, and abundant precipitation.

A medicane was observed from 10 to 13 December.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December