1996 WMHB Atlantic hurricane season

The 1996 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30. It was a very active season that produced a total of 18 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes. The season's first tropical cyclone, Tropical Storm Arthur, developed on May 29, while the season's last system, Hurricane Rene, dissipated on December 11. The most intense hurricane, Isidore, was a powerful Category 4 hurricane that devastated Belize and caused considerable damage in Mexico. Earlier in the season, Hurricane Bertha caused severe damage in North Carolina and southern Virginia. The season was also the first since 1982 to have a storm develop in December with Hurricane Rene forming on December 4.

Tropical Storm Arthur
On May 27, a tropical wave interacted with an area of disturbed weather in the southwest Caribbean Sea. The two systems remained separate, but the wave strengthened, and on May 29 became Tropical Depression One. Shortly afterwards, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Arthur and began to track northwest. Arthur skimmed Nicaragua and then Honduras on May 31 as it slowly strengthened, causing heavy rains and minor flooding. No injuries or fatalities were reported. Arthur continued to move northwest through the Yucatan Channel, emerging over the Gulf of Mexico on June 1 and dissipating one day later.

Hurricane Bertha
A subtropical low developed from a frontal trough over the open Atlantic Ocean on June 16 after interacting with an upper-level low. The NHC designated the low as Subtropical Depression One the next day, and the depression began to transition into a fully tropical system. By 22:00 UTC on June 18, the depression had transitioned into a tropical storm, and was named Bertha. Over the next few days, Bertha gradually strengthened as it moved west at a slow pace. As Bertha strengthened, its wind field grew in size, and by June 20 its tropical storm-force winds measured nearly 100 miles in diameter.

Bertha's wind field continued to grow as it strengthened into a hurricane on June 21. After turning slightly southwest, Bertha resumed a northwesterly track towards the Carolinas and continued to strengthen, becoming a Category 2 hurricane on June 23. When Bertha made landfall in the Outer Banks on June 25, it had grown very large, with winds spanning over 700 miles in diameter. Despite only being a Category 2 storm, Bertha caused severe damage in the Outer Banks and southern Virginia, with total cost estimates at $1.7 billion (1996 USD). Before the storm's arrival, at least 4 people were reported to have drowned from strong rip currents, and an additional 6 fatalities occurred directly during Bertha's landfall. The storm's large size and severe damage earned it the nickname "Big Bertha" by the media. After landfall, Bertha brushed the Delmarva Peninsula as it weakened to a Category 1 hurricane, and then a tropical storm. Bertha regained strength as a Category 1 hurricane and continued to grow in size until becoming a large and intense post-tropical cyclone over the cold north Atlantic on July 2.

Storm Names
Below is a list of names used for storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1996. This list is the same list that was used in the 1990 season, with the exceptions of Hanna and Kyle, which replaced Hortense and Klaus. Storms were named Hanna, Kyle, Nana, Omar, Paloma, and Rene for the first time in 1996.

Retirement
In the spring of 1997 at its annual meeting, the World Meteorological Association retired the names Bertha, Diana, and Isidore from its rotating name lists. They were replaced by Bailey, Dolly, and Ike for the 2002 season.