On January 7, a low pressure system situated along a front northeast of the Bahamas began deepening, producing a large area of strong winds over the western Atlantic. Though strong upper-level winds and cool ocean temperatures precluded immediate development into a tropical or subtropical cyclone, the National Hurricane Center began to monitor the disturbance. The low moved eastward, remaining frontal in nature, but strengthened even more, producing maximum winds to hurricane force on January 10. Over the next few days, shower activity increased modestly near the system's center as it took a southeast heading into the far eastern Atlantic. By January 12, bands of shallow convection surrounded a well-defined center. The next day, despite marginal sea surface temperatures, thunderstorm activity increased near the center. Due to the relatively shallow convection and gale force winds associated with the system, it was classified Subtropical Storm Alex that afternoon. Alex was only the fourth known tropical or subtropical system to form in the north Atlantic basin in January.
By the time of its formation, Alex had turned toward the northeast and was headed in the direction of the Azores. Meanwhile, despite marginal sea surface temperatures, convection continued to deepen and Alex developed a well-defined eye feature. At the same time, the upper-level low situated over Alex moved away, allowing the cyclone to transition to a tropical cyclone. Since the eyewall now had hurricane force winds, Alex was upgraded to a hurricane during the morning of January 14. It became the first hurricane in January since 1955, and the first to form during the month since 1938. By the afternoon, the outer bands began to affect the Azores Islands. The same evening, it reached its peak intensity of 85 mph winds and a central pressure of 981 mb. The next morning, the center of circulation passed among the central Azores, bringing hurricane-force winds to the region as it sped northward. Meanwhile, the eyewall disintegrated and the convective structure became lopsided as Alex began extratropical transition and weakened slightly. The system became extratropical that afternoon.
The above image shows Alex at peak intensity less than a day before it passed over the Azores. The hurricane developed a remarkable eye feature highly unusual for an off-season storm.
The track of Alex includes several days during which the system was an extratropical system producing winds near hurricane force.
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