There is a gas station near me that used F96 T12 alto lamps in strip lights outside the building. Recently the lamps starting acting up. If it was humid outside or raining at least half of the lamps wouldn't start, or would just glow on the ends. Then the next day they may be fine.  I noticed the other day that they bought brand new strip lights fixtures, but kept the T12 instead of going to T8.  But they are all outfitted with Alto lamps again, so I don't know if the problem is going to eventually return or not. Granted the other fixtures were old, but I think the lamps were the problem, but the fixtures.

It might be bad fixture sealing - humidity on the surface lower electrical field around electrodes, so it require higher starting voltage. Solution is to repair the sealing and/or replace luminaires.
Lamp's age might be a factor too, as they are older, it is harder to start them and when the humidity add, it does not light anymore. If this happen after few years, lamps rated life is spent, so no wonder. To avoid problems, good practice is to schedule replacement at ~75..80% of rated life, assume good quality lamps (rated life is or the light output is more then 30% below initial, or when 50% of lamps die, so mainly the secont criterium require sooner replacement to not have half fixtures dead).

I see the same problem with F40T12 rapid start...a humid day after a rain and half of the fixtures at my work won't light. I've been slowly solving this problem by replacing the magnetic ballasts with electronic T12. So far, they have worked great.

lightingcollector84, it's not the lamps, it's the weather causing the problems, My garage has 2 F96T12s in it, and when it's raining, NONE of the lamps will light! and the lamps are GE, and one Philips (non alto)

What about taking thin (e.g. magnet) wire, make few turns (2..3) around the bulb across it's whole length and ground it - it would be able to keep strong enough field even if the surface get's resistive (when humid)...