Cyclone Fergus developed into a category 1 tropical cyclone 23 December 1996 near the Solomon Islands. After being named, Fergus performed a cyclonic loop in an area of weak steering flow, before it started to move south-eastwards. During 26 December, Fergus became a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone  The system subsequently continued to move south-eastwards towards a weakness in a subtropical ridge of high pressure, before it passed in between Vanuatu and New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands between 27-28 December. It continued further south east before making a transition to an extratropical cyclone on 29 December.

 

Extratropical cyclone Fergus impacted the upper North Island on 30 December caused extensive flooding and land slips.  400mm+ was recorded in both Northland and the Coromandel peninsula with 160mm falling on parts of Auckland. As Fergus moved south east, further significant flooding occurred in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty

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