1996 was a very active and destructive year for the Atlantic Basin. Just like 1995 several hurricanes ended up being destructive and causing severe impacts. In 1996 there was a total of 4 destructive hurricanes: Cesar, Fran, Hortense, and Lili. Lili was the 4th and final destructive hurricane from the year 1996.

Hurricane Lili was a classic fall hurricane. In the fall hurricanes can develop in the far Atlantic, Central Atlantic, and we tend to get a lot of Caribbean hurricanes in the fall. Lili formed in the later as it formed in the Caribbean specifically the Western Caribbean.

On October 13th a tropical low developed in the Western Caribbean. This low started to develop a circulation. Satellite data showed the winds were 30 mph in the new low it just lacked a closed circulation. Models started to develop this low into another hurricane potentially impacting Cuba or Florida.

On October the 14th Hurricane Hunters aircraft and satellite data showed the low had closed its circulation at the surface. Thus, it was declared a tropical depression and was expected to rapidly strengthen due to the very warm waters of the Caribbean. Late on October the 15th the depression was declared Tropical Storm Lili. Despite being a minimal tropical storm Lili started to develop banding around its core. On the 16th Lili's winds increased to 70 mph just shy of hurricane status. On the 17th Lili became a category 1 hurricane with winds up to 80 mph.

On October 18th Lili continued to strengthen until its landfall in Cuba later that evening. Lili would strike Cuba as a 100 mph category 2 hurricane. Despite going over land Lili only weakened slightly to a 90 mph high end category 1 hurricane. Lili due to a trough to the North started to be steered northeastward. The hurricane missed the Florida Keys but started to go toward the Bahamas. Also once over water Lili begin to rapidly organize.

Late on October 19th Lili now over the Gulf Stream reached its peak intensity as a 115 mph category 3 hurricane with its lowest pressure at 960 millibars. On the 20th Lili weakened back to a 105 mph category 2 hurricane. Due to a cold front on the 21st Lili weakened to an 85 mph category 1 hurricane. However, on the 22nd Lili moved away from the front and found a pocket of warm water and the winds came up to 110 mph making Lili a high end category 2 hurricane. The next couple of days saw Lili go from category 1 to category 2 hurricane. On the 26th Lili moved over cooler water and became a tropical storm. The next day on the 27th Lili was determined to have become extra tropical. The remnants of Lili brought heavy rain and wind to Britain.

Lili was a destructive hurricane in Cuba. In Cuba Lili produced 16-20 inches of rain, a storm surge of 9-10 feet and winds over 100 mph. Cuba's economy was also in very bad shape and this added insult to injury. Overall, Lili killed 22 people and caused $650 million in damage to Cuba. In the Bahamas Lili produced high winds as the storm brushed the Island country. In the Bahamas Lili was blamed for causing $50 million in damages. Overall, Lili caused $700 million in damages.

Despite the damage to Cuba the name Lili was not retired the following year. The main reason was Cuba did not request retirement likely to them being in a very bad economic recession. However, the name Lili would eventually be retired due to 2002's hurricane Lili which impacted the Turks and Caicos Islands and the US state of Louisiana. 2002's Hurricane Lili caused $1.10 Billion in damages.

In my opinion Lili should have been retired for its 1996 destruction in Cuba. I can remember seeing videos of flooding, houses being swept away, and homes leveled. Keep in mind $650 million at that time in Cuba would have been 2-3 Billion in the US had Lili struck the United States.

In summary, Lili was a classic fall hurricane and it was the 4th and final destructive hurricane from the very active 1996 season. Cesar, Fran, Hortense, and Lili combined killed over 200 people, and caused over $ 6 Billion in damages. Cesar and Lili were very destructive Caribbean hurricanes as they mainly impacted countries in the Caribbean.