Josephine, the tenth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, has formed off the East Coast. While top wind speeds match those of a tropical storm, Josephine is classified as a subtropical storm.

NHC will initiate advisories on Subtropical Storm Josephine (formerly AL93), located offshore of the U.S. East Coast, at 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC).

— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 21, 2026

Both tropical and subtropical storms are characterized by an area of low pressure with organized thunderstorm activity, a well-defined center of circulation, a lack of fronts, and maximum sustained winds between 39 and 73 mph. Despite their similarities, the key differences come down to their energy sources and temperature structure:

Tropical Storms — Draw their energy primarily from ocean heat, concentrating warm air near the storm center from top to bottom.

Subtropical Storms — Draw their energy from a mix of sources: ocean heat (tropical source) and clashes between warm/cool air in the atmosphere, often associated with the jet stream (extratropical source). Whereas warm air gets concentrated near the storm center in the lower atmosphere, cold air dominates in the upper levels.

In essence, Subtropical Storm Josephine is a hybrid storm of sorts, partially tropical and partially non-tropical. Josephine will move northeast in the coming days, eventually reaching the cooler Atlantic waters by the end of the week. While a direct landfall is not expected, high winds, coastal flooding, and dangerous surf are expected along portions of the U.S. East Coast during the next few days.

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