Contact: Frank Lepore FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Hurricane Center 11/26/96
Stephanie Kenitzer
National Weather Service
A near record number of major hurricanes punctuated an active season of Atlantic tropical cyclones this year. Thirteen named storms produced nine hurricanes, six of them with wind speeds exceeding 110 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center, part of the Commerce Department's National Weather Service.
"Thirteen named storms in 1996 ties four other years -- most recently 1984 -- as the ninth most active Atlantic season since records began in 1886. This puts 1996 easily within the top ten percent of our 110-year record," said Bob Burpee, director of the National Hurricane Center.
A tropical storm is named when its (one minute sustained surface) wind speed reaches 39 mph. It is classified as a hurricane when its wind speed reaches 74 mph. A hurricane is considered major when its winds top 110 mph, equivalent to Category 3 or greater on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, a one-to-five scale that measures hurricane intensity.
"In our collective staff memory, this is the first year that every tropical depression turned into a named storm," Burpee said. An average season in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico has nine named storms, six of them reaching hurricane strength, with two of major strength.
The 1996 hurricane season was much more active than the long term average of six hurricanes, two of which are major. The season's nine hurricanes tie 1955 and 1980 as the eighth most active on record. The season's six major hurricanes comprise the highest number in any one year since 1961 (with eight).
For comparison, 1995 was the second most active Atlantic hurricane season on record (after 1933's 21) with 19 named storms, of which 11 were hurricanes, five categorized as major.
This year's 13 tropical storms are significant when coupled with the 21 named storms in 1995's active season, Burpee said. The combined total of 34 tropical storms is the largest number in two consecutive years since the National Hurricane Center was organized in 1935.
Burpee observed that while two years does not constitute a trend, it is noteworthy to have two very active years (1995-96) coming after four very inactive ones.
"Imbedded in these storm numbers are hard realities: 1996's tropical cyclones were responsible for the deaths of at least 135 people throughout the Caribbean, Central America and United States and more than $3.5 billion in damage in the United States only," said Burpee. "Preparation and vigilance are required in any year."
Highlights of the 1996 season:
All of the tropical cyclones originated from tropical waves that moved westward from Africa into the Atlantic basin.
Tropical Storm Arthur (6/17-23), Hurricanes Bertha, Edouard, and Fran and Tropical Storm Josephine affected the U.S. mainland.
Hurricane Bertha (7/5-14) reached hurricane status farther east than any other hurricane on record that early in the season. It became a Category 3 hurricane July 9. Bertha pounded the U.S. Virgin Islands, devastated by Hurricane Marilyn only ten months before. This is the earliest Category 3 hurricane since Alma in June 1966.
Cesar, Dolly, Kyle, Lili and Marco formed in the Caribbean Sea and four of them reached hurricane status in this basin. This is the largest number of hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea since 1969 (with three hurricanes).
Hurricane Cesar (7/25-28) crossed Central America and became "Douglas" in the eastern Pacific, the strongest major hurricane in that basin during 1996. Cesar and Dolly (8/19-23) killed at least 65 people in Central America and Mexico.
Edouard (8/22-9/3) was the strongest hurricane of the season with sustained winds of 145 mph.
Hurricane Fran (8/24-9/6) hit the North Carolina coast, causing at least 34 deaths -- mostly by flash flooding and high winds in the Carolinas, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Fran's property damage estimates top $3.2 billion.
Hurricane Hortense (9/4-16) pummeled Puerto Rico and affected the U.S. Virgin Islands. Torrential rains devastated portions of Puerto Rico, triggering mud slides, which killed 18 people and caused more than $127 million in crop damage.
Hurricane Lili (10/16-18) was the first October hurricane to make landfall in Cuba since 1968, and the island's first since Hurricane Kate in November 1985. Lili pounded parts of the island for nearly 12 hours. Its peak winds reached 115 mph.
Hurricane Marco (11/18-11/26) briefly achieved hurricane status only to drift aimlessly (for eight days) through the western Caribbean. Marco never hit land.
The National Hurricane Center is currently reevaluating its observations of another November disturbance, northeast of Bermuda, to determine if it achieved tropical storm status. If reclassified, it would raise the season's total to 14 tropical storms.
The 183-day Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30.
###Note to Editors: Additional background information is available on the National Hurricane Center's web site at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
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