Storm history › South Indian Ocean › 1996 season
Cyclone Bonita (1996)
Bonita was a Category 4 cyclone of the 1996 South Indian Ocean season. It was tracked from December 31, 1995 to January 15, 1996, about 15 days, and covered 3,021 miles.
At its peak it had winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) and a lowest pressure of 920 mb.
Its closest pass to a major city was 47 miles from Chimoio, Mozambique.
- Peak wind
- 155 mph
- Lowest pressure
- 920 mb
- Strongest
- Category 4 cyclone
- Duration
- 15 days
- Track length
- 3,021 mi
- Energy (ACE)
- 27.3
DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5
Closest pass to major cities
| City | Closest pass |
|---|---|
| Chimoio, Mozambique | 47 mi (76 km) |
| Beira, Mozambique | 51 mi (82 km) |
| Antananarivo, Madagascar | 119 mi (192 km) |
How it compares
- Peak winds: 24th highest of 951 South Indian Ocean storms on record, tied with Cyclone Darian (2023), Cyclone Habana (2021), Cyclone Cilida (2019) and 2 more.
- Lowest pressure: 36th lowest of 1,029 South Indian Ocean storms with a recorded pressure, tied with Cyclone Horacio (2026), Cyclone Faraji (2021), Cyclone Evrina / Frederic (1999) and 3 more.
- Energy: 14% of the 1996 South Indian Ocean season's ACE.