Tropical cyclones are warm-cored entities -- tropical storms, hurricanes, etc. Wind speeds are at a maximum close to the center.

Extratropical cyclones are most easily described as "things with fronts." Highly asymmetric, tilt to the west with increasing altitude, can be cold or warm-cored in nature. Wind speeds are at a maximum a fair distance away from the center.

Subtropical cyclones lie between the two. They are usually extratropical cyclones that have cut-off from the midlatitude flow and have hybrid characteristics -- a little bit of both types with most characteristics lying between the two extremes. Often warm-cored at the surface but cold-cored aloft.