The 1996 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 1996, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator and west of the international date line. Storms that form east of the date line and north of the equator are called hurricanes; see 1996 Pacific hurricane season. Tropical Storms formed in the entire west pacific basin were assigned a name by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Tropical depressions in this basin have the "W" suffix added to their number. Tropical depressions that enter or form in the Philippine area of responsibility are assigned a name by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or PAGASA. This can often result in the same storm having two names, like Herb or Sally.
Season summary
Systems
Tropical Storm 01W (Asiang)
On February 23, a large area of convection developed south of the Philippine Sea. The convection developed into a low pressure area and was at first bombarded by wind shear, but conditions soon turned favorable which allowed it to strengthen rapidly on February 27 before becoming a Tropical depression later that day. The JMA upgraded 01W into a Tropical Storm before it drifted over the Philippines on February 29, and weakened slightly due to land interaction.
Tropical Storm Ann (Biring)
Ann (Biring) developed on March 30. The storm struck the Philippines on April 7 and dissipated three days later.
Tropical Depression 03W
Tropical Depression 03W existed over the South China Sea from April 25 to April 26.
Typhoon Bart (Konsing)
Bart existed from May 8 to May 18.
Tropical Storm Cam (Ditang)
Cam developed over the South China Sea on May 18. The cyclone headed northeastward to east-northeastward and dissipated over the Pacific Ocean on May 23.
Typhoon Dan
Dan existed from July 5 to July 11.
Typhoon Eve
A Tropical Upper Tropospheric Trough spawned Tropical Depression 7W on July 10 over the open Western Pacific. It tracked generally west-northwestward, strengthening to a tropical storm on the 14th. On the 15th Eve became a typhoon, which was followed by a period of explosive deepening to a 100 mph Typhoon, with a pressure drop of 40 mb from early on the 15th to early on the 16th. An eyewall replacement cycle weakened Eve to a 95 mph typhoon, but as the outer eyewall contracted, the storm again reached wind speeds of 97 mph before hitting southern Japan on the 18th. Rapidly weakening over the mountains, Eve turned eastward over the islands and the last warning was issued on the 20th. It restrengthened to a tropical storm east of Japan, and continued northeastward until dissipation on the 27th. Eve, despite being a Category 4 at landfall, caused no reported deaths and only 9 injuries.
Severe Tropical Storm Frankie (Edeng)
An active monsoon trough over the Western Pacific Ocean developed 3 typhoons; Frankie, Gloria, and Herb. The first, Frankie, developed in the South China Sea on July 19. It tracked west-northwestward and became a tropical storm on the 21st. After crossing the island of Hainan Frankie rapidly intensified to a 100 mph typhoon, 945 millibar over the Gulf of Tonkin. It northern Vietnam on the 23rd, and dissipated 2 days later over China. 104 people were reported killed or missing in association with Frankie, and damage figures in Vietnam are estimated at over 16.65 trillion (US$1.4 billion) (1996 US Dollars).
Typhoon Gloria (Gloring)
The same monsoon trough that spawned Frankie also spawned a tropical depression on July 19 east of the Philippines. It headed northwestward, slowly organizing into a tropical storm on the 22nd. The next day Gloria reached typhoon strength, and a day later it reached its peak of 100 mph winds. Gloria brushed the northern coast of the Philippines and turned northward to hit Taiwan on the 26th. After crossing the island and the Taiwan Strait, Gloria hit China where she dissipated on the 27th. Gloria caused 23 casualties, 20 of which were in the northern Philippines. In addition, damage was estimated at $20 million (1996 USD).
Typhoon Herb (Huaning)
Super Typhoon Herb was the strongest and the largest storm of 1996. Herb struck Ryūkyū Islands, Taiwan and China. Maximum sustained winds of the cyclone reached over the open ocean. The system led to 590 casualties and US$5 billion in damage (1996 dollars).
Tropical Depression Ian
Ian existed from July 27 to July 31.