a. Synoptic history An extratropical low pressure system formed
just east of the Turks and Caicos Islands near 0000 UTC 25
October in response to an upper level cyclone interacting with a
frontal system. The low initially moved northwestward, and in
combination with a strong surface high to the north developed
into a gale center six hours later. By 1800 UTC that day it had
developed sufficient organized convection to be classified using
the Herbert-Poteat subtropical cyclone classification system,
and the best track of the subtropical storm begins at this time
(Table 1 and Figure 1). Upon becoming a subtropical storm, the
cyclone turned northward. This motion continued for 24 h while
the system slowly intensified. The storm jogged north-
northwestward late on 26 October, followed by a north-
northeastward turn and acceleration on the 27th. During this
time, satellite imagery indicated intermittent bursts of central
convection while Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft
indicated a large (75-100 n mi) radi