Question about Sub-Tropical Storms

[Evil Jeremy]

This will sound like a stupid question, but if a STS contains hurricane force winds, is it still called a STS? Or would it be called a Sub-Tropical Hurricane or something else?

[wxman57]

This will sound like a stupid question, but if a STS contains hurricane force winds, is it still called a STS? Or would it be called a Sub-Tropical Hurricane or something else?

Not a stupid question. There's no such thing as a subtropical hurricane. It would be a subtropical storm regardless of the winds.

[Ptarmigan]

Not a stupid question. There's no such thing as a subtropical hurricane. It would be a subtropical storm regardless of the winds.

I wonder if that has ever happened where a STS had hurricane force winds? A STS reminds me of an extratropical low.

[Ad Novoxium]

Not a stupid question. There's no such thing as a subtropical hurricane. It would be a subtropical storm regardless of the winds.

I wonder if that has ever happened where a STS had hurricane force winds? A STS reminds me of an extratropical low.

Twice, the first in 1968:


and then in 1979:


Of the two, 1968's was more powerful (80 mph vs 75 mph).

[brunota2003]

This will sound like a stupid question, but if a STS contains hurricane force winds, is it still called a STS? Or would it be called a Sub-Tropical Hurricane or something else?

To give you the answer from the NHC:
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A6.html

...Additionally, the maximum sustained winds for sub-tropical cyclones have not been observed to be stronger than about 33 m/s (64 kts, 74 mph)).

Subtropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin are classified by the maximum sustained surface winds:

* less than 18 m/s (34 kts, 39 mph) - "subtropical depression",
* greater than or equal to 18 m/s (34 kts, 39 mph) - "subtropical storm"