The 2016 hurricane season, spanning from June 1 to November 30, proved to be more active and destructive than the long-term average. This period saw the development of 15 named tropical storms, 7 of which strengthened into hurricanes, and 4 that reached major hurricane status (Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale). This level of activity surpassed the averages of 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes typically expected each season. The year was defined by systems that caused widespread damage, resulting in one of the deadliest and costliest seasons of the decade.
Hurricane Matthew The Defining Storm of 2016
Hurricane Matthew began as a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa in late September before quickly organizing into a tropical storm near the Lesser Antilles. Fueled by warm Caribbean waters, it underwent explosive intensification, reaching Category 5 status with peak sustained winds of 165 miles per hour on October 1. This intensity was achieved at a latitude of 13.4°N, marking the southernmost Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin.
Matthew weakened slightly but remained a powerful system as it turned northward. The storm made its first major landfall on Haiti’s Tiburon Peninsula as a Category 4 hurricane on October 4, with sustained winds of 145 miles per hour. The resulting catastrophic damage in Haiti was compounded by extreme rainfall, which led to massive flooding and mudslides in the impoverished southwestern regions. An estimated 80% of structures were destroyed in some communities, creating a severe humanitarian crisis.
The hurricane continued its journey, lashing eastern Cuba and traversing the entire length of the Bahamas as a major hurricane. Its path paralleled the coasts of Florida and Georgia, bringing hurricane-force winds close to the shoreline. Though the eye remained just offshore of Florida, the storm surge and high winds caused extensive damage, downing power lines and leaving over a million customers without electricity across the Southeast.
Matthew ultimately made its final United States landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near McClellanville, South Carolina, on October 8. The storm produced extreme rainfall totals, with some areas in North Carolina receiving more than 15 inches of rain. This massive inland flooding led to significant river crests that persisted for days after the storm had passed.
Other Notable Atlantic Hurricanes
Beyond Matthew, the 2016 Atlantic season featured two other hurricanes that stood out for their impact. The first was Hurricane Hermine, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico in late August. Hermine became the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Hurricane Wilma in 2005, ending an 11-year drought for the state.
Hermine crossed the Florida coastline near St. Marks as a Category 1 hurricane with 80 mile per hour winds. The system generated a significant storm surge, reaching between 6 and 9 feet in some coastal areas, which caused extensive flooding and property damage along the Florida Big Bend. As it tracked northeastward, it dropped more than 22 inches of rain in parts of Florida and caused widespread power outages across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
Later in the season, Hurricane Otto emerged as a rare event in November. Otto rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, becoming the latest major hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin. Its path was also unusual, as it was the southernmost hurricane to make landfall in Central America since records began.
Otto struck the border region of Nicaragua and Costa Rica as a Category 3 storm, causing significant flooding and landslides in both countries. Otto was unique because it crossed the narrow Central American landmass without dissipating, emerging into the Eastern Pacific Ocean as a tropical storm. This Atlantic-to-Pacific crossover event was the first of its kind to occur since 1996.
Major Storm Activity in the Pacific
The 2016 Pacific hurricane season was active, particularly in the Eastern Pacific basin. The season produced a total of 22 named storms and 13 hurricanes, with 6 reaching major hurricane intensity. This activity included Hurricane Pali, which formed in the Central Pacific in January, setting a record for the earliest Central Pacific tropical cyclone on record.
The most intense storm of the Pacific season was Hurricane Seymour, which developed in late October. Seymour quickly strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour over the open ocean. Although globally significant due to its strength, Seymour tracked far from major landmasses, minimizing its impact on the US mainland.
Most powerful Pacific storms, including the Category 4 Hurricane Lester and Seymour, remained over open water and dissipated without causing widespread damage to populated areas. The primary land impacts in the Pacific basin came from earlier storms like Hurricane Newton, which brought heavy rainfall and flooding to Baja California and the Southwestern United States.