<p>A cyclone is nothing more than a low-pressure system. It can surely form in the North Atlantic; in fact, most low-pressure systems that reach Europe form in the North Atlantic.
You are probably thinking about a <em>tropical</em> cyclone, which indeed cannot form that far north. Among others, a tropical cyclone needs high sea temperatures (>27 C), which are usually not present at such high latitudes.</p>

<p>About the present cyclone south of Nova Scotia: I think it is a cold core cyclone, as 500 hPa temperature are lower than in surroundings (which is e.g. not the case for tropical storm Dorian, which is currently east from the Lesser Antilles). Therefore, it's not a tropical cyclone but an ordinary extra-tropical cyclone, which can perfectly form at those latitudes.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-26T12:02:06.633Z
2019-08-26T12:02:06.633Z
GeneralDuke
<p>No, it's not normal. Hurricanes and typhoons require sun-warmed seas like the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico to form, because that's where they get their energy from. When meteorologists talk of cyclones and anticyclones, they are talking about high pressure or low pressure weather systems, not hurricanes and typhoons. Storms can form that far north, but probably not hurricanes, typhoons or cyclones, which are just different names for the same thing. When referring to the mega-storms which devastate tropical and subtropical islands, the terms hurricane (Atlantic) or typhoon (Pacific) are usually used. I don't think the weather system featured in your diagram was a hurricane.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-26T18:53:22.510Z
We famously had a "hurricane" in southern England in 1987, but firstly, it was slightly short of the windspeed which would have made it a hurricane, and secondly, it did not form off southern England but a long way to the south west. Forming at or reaching England or New York are two different things..
Michael Walsby
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-25T18:00:13.757Z
2019-08-25T18:00:13.757Z
Michael Walsby
<p>I am following climate activist Greta Thunberg's sail to N America from Europe on <a href="https://tracker.borisherrmannracing.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://tracker.borisherrmannracing.com/</a>. The model shows a cyclonic storm forming south of Nova Scotia, east of New York on August 26, 2019. The same thing can be seen on <a href="https://earth.nullschool.net/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://earth.nullschool.net/</a>. I wasn't aware that this type of storm formed so far north and am wondering why this storm is forming and if this is a rare occurrence that may be related to climate change.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ya8x1.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ya8x1.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Edit to add: Here is the model of air temperature. It appears to me that the storm forms at the interface between cool air from the north and warm air from the south and that the core is warm, but perhaps someone with more expertise can weigh in.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ixN6U.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ixN6U.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-25T23:18:34.477Z
edited to add image of the air temperature
haresfur
<meteorology><climate-change><tropical-cyclone>
Is it normal for a cyclonic storm to form at the latitude of New York, USA?
haresfur
# Is it normal for a cyclonic storm to form at the latitude of New York, USA?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-08-25)

I am following climate activist Greta Thunberg's sail to N America from Europe on <https://tracker.borisherrmannracing.com/>. The model shows a cyclonic storm forming south of Nova Scotia, east of New York on August 26, 2019. The same thing can be seen on <https://earth.nullschool.net/>. I wasn't aware that this type of storm formed so far north and am wondering why this storm is forming and if this is a rare occurrence that may be related to climate change.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ya8x1.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/ya8x1.jpg)

Edit to add: Here is the model of air temperature. It appears to me that the storm forms at the interface between cool air from the north and warm air from the south and that the core is warm, but perhaps someone with more expertise can weigh in.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ixN6U.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/ixN6U.jpg)

**Tags:** meteorology, climate-change, tropical-cyclone

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: edited to add image of the air temperature  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-08-26. Score: 4

A cyclone is nothing more than a low-pressure system. It can surely form in the North Atlantic; in fact, most low-pressure systems that reach Europe form in the North Atlantic.
You are probably thinking about a *tropical* cyclone, which indeed cannot form that far north. Among others, a tropical cyclone needs high sea temperatures (>27 C), which are usually not present at such high latitudes.

About the present cyclone south of Nova Scotia: I think it is a cold core cyclone, as 500 hPa temperature are lower than in surroundings (which is e.g. not the case for tropical storm Dorian, which is currently east from the Lesser Antilles). Therefore, it's not a tropical cyclone but an ordinary extra-tropical cyclone, which can perfectly form at those latitudes.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-08-25. Score: -2

No, it's not normal. Hurricanes and typhoons require sun-warmed seas like the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico to form, because that's where they get their energy from. When meteorologists talk of cyclones and anticyclones, they are talking about high pressure or low pressure weather systems, not hurricanes and typhoons. Storms can form that far north, but probably not hurricanes, typhoons or cyclones, which are just different names for the same thing. When referring to the mega-storms which devastate tropical and subtropical islands, the terms hurricane (Atlantic) or typhoon (Pacific) are usually used. I don't think the weather system featured in your diagram was a hurricane.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: We famously had a "hurricane" in southern England in 1987, but firstly, it was slightly short of the windspeed which would have made it a hurricane, and secondly, it did not form off southern England but a long way to the south west. Forming at or reaching England or New York are two different things..  

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