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Ed DunhamAdministrator
Former Meteorologist & CFHC Forum Moderator (Ed Passed Away on May 14, 2017)


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Posts: 2565
Loc: Melbourne, FL
The 'Neutercane' aka the Subtropical Cyclone
      #90150 - Sat Mar 05 2011 01:39 AM

From NOAA Hurricane Research Division:

“A neutercane is a small (meso-)scale (< 100 miles in diameter) low-pressure system that has characteristics of both tropical cyclone and mid-latitude or extratropical cyclone. A subclass of sub-tropical cyclone, neutercanes are distinguished by their small size and their origination, sometimes forming within mesoscale convective complexes.

The term was coined by Robert Bundgaard, after he participated in a research flight in the early 1970's. He witnessed a small cyclonic circulation over land, which appeared to have both tropical and extratropical characteristics. He used the term in later discussions with Dr. Bob Simpson, then director of the National Hurricane Center. 'Neutercane' was meant to synthesize the word 'neutral' and 'hurricane' to imply a hurricane-like vortex which was midway between tropical and extratropical.
Dr. Simpson observed similar circulations on geostationary satellite loops, and conducted an investigation with hurricane researcher Banner Miller. He presented a talk on them at the 8th AMS Conference on Hurricane and Tropical Meteorology in 1973.

During the 1972 hurricane season, Simpson inaugurated use of the term in official bulletins, labeling the second (Bravo) and third (Charlie) subtropical cyclones observed that year as Neutercanes. (Neutercane Bravo transformed into Hurricane Betty.) However, objections in the press to the term as possibly sexist led to NOAA management discouraging use of the term, and ordering Simpson to cease use of any further Government resources in conducting research on the phenomenon.
From then on, the term "Sub-tropical Cyclone" was used for all such systems. However, the term entered into several dictionaries, including the AMS Glossary of Meteorology (which misidentifies them as "large"), and has been used in the scientific literature. “

Note that a more accurate summary of the history behind this term can be found at this Wikipedia link.

In the early 70’s the press did not really object to the use of the term, but apparently NOAA Management did and this hybrid system became known as the Subtropical Cyclone. In the Atlantic basin, the first Subtropical Storm was designated in 1968 and another was designated in 1969. Since 1970, 22 Subtropical Storms have been identified, with 13 of them designated between 1972 and 1979. As noted above, in 1972 the term was utilized in official bulletins.

While the terms Subtropical Storm and Subtropical Depression are used (based on wind speed), there is no subtropical hurricane. If a subtropical system attains sustained winds of 65 knots or more, it is still designated as a Subtropical Storm. This actually happened in 1979 when STS1 had sustained winds of 65 knots and a pressure of 980mb. STS1 in 1968 had winds of 70 knots and a pressure of 979mb.

Because tropical cyclones in the EASTPAC are restricted to low-latitude breeding grounds (due to cooler SSTs to the north), no STS has ever been recorded in that basin. In the CENTPAC, the Hawaiian ‘Kona’ low is a subtropical system. The first designation of an STS was in the WESTPAC in September, 1958, and forecasters got a little carried away with the use of that designation for about the next 15 years – in 1961 there were 15 STSs designated in the Western Pacific. Subtropical Cyclones have also been recorded in the Arabian Sea. In the South Atlantic, the South American Hurricane of March, 2004, was probably a STS at some point during its evolution.

For additional information, check out this Penn State link.

ED

Edited by Ed Dunham (Sat Mar 05 2011 12:23 PM)


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