Cesar was a destructive July hurricane that developed during the 1996 season. It produced severe flooding in Central America. The following year Cesar would be 1 of 3 names retired from the 1996 season. The other names retired were Fran and Hortense.

Cesar was a classic July tropical system as it developed in the Caribbean. Climatology wise The Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Central Atlantic is where we usually see development. 1996 was under the influence of a continuing La Nina. This was the same La Nina that developed in the Summer of 1995. Therefore, water temperatures were above average.

A tropical low entered the Eastern Caribbean. As this low moved over the very warm waters it started to gain convection. The Low then started to rapidly develop. After a few days it was given the name Cesar as it had reached tropical storm Status. Cesar eventually moved into the Western Caribbean. While in the Western Caribbean Cesar steadily strengthened becoming hurricane Cesar. Cesar would continue to strengthen up to its landfall. Cesar made landfall in Nicaragua as a high end category 1 hurricane. Cesar would cross over into the Eastern Pacific and was given a new name (Douglass) since it entered a new basin. While in the Eastern Pacific Douglass would become a category 4 hurricane, but stay out to sea.

Cesar was not the strongest hurricane to impact Central America, but it was a very destructive storm. In Nicaragua alone Cesar caused 42 deaths and $51 million in damages. The hurricane also did severe damage in Costa Rica and Honduras. Overall Cesar caused over 140 deaths and $205 million in damages.

Cesar was also not the fastest moving tropical system. The hurricane's slow movement set up flooding in Central America. For several days. AS for days Cesar pounded Central America with wind and heavy rain. Moreover, the storm was considered one of the hurricane hurricanes to hit Nicaragua in years.

The 1996 Hurricane Season was above average with 13 named storms, 9 became hurricanes, and 6 became major hurricanes. Due to their severe impacts the names Cesar, Fran and Hortense were retired in 1997.

can't believe they actually had Cesar as one of them names, I still remember when Gaston and Elsa got storms and of course they got memes to go with it

The World Metorological Organization picks the names. The lists rotate every 6 years. There are 6 naming lists. If an impacted area requests it the name is retired.

Elsa replaced Erika which was retired in 2015. Erika produced severe flooding in Dominica so it was retired. Gaston replaced the name George which was retired after the 1998 season. Cesar was replaced with Cristobal.

Usually the names are English, French, German, Spanish, and Dutch origin since these are the common languages spoken in the Caribbean. Also a lot of countries were colonies of Britain, France, Germany, Spain, and Netherlands (Dutch) at some point.