1978 January Subtropical Storm

1978 January Subtropical Storm

Subtropical Storm One in the 1978 Atlantic hurricane season, was the only Atlantic subtropical cyclone on record to form during the month of January. Subtropical Storm One gave the 1978 Atlantic hurricane season a record early start. Subtropical Storm One surpassed a record held by a 1952 Groundhog Day tropical storm in February 1952 by about 16 days. It formed on January 18 well to the east-northeast of the Lesser Antilles, and throughout its duration it maintained a general westward track. The storm attained peak winds of about 45 mph (75 km/h), and only briefly threatened the northeastern Caribbean islands before dissipating on January 23. There have been only two other tropical cyclones in January – Hurricane Alice in 1955 and Tropical Storm Zeta in 2006 – which existed in January, however, both formed in near the end of December.