File:Subtropical Storm Theta (MODIS 2020-11-11).jpg

English: On November 10, 2020, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of a record-setting storm in a record-setting Atlantic Hurricane Season. Subtropical Storm Theta, as this system was named by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), is the season’s 29th named storm—the most storms ever recorded in a single Atlantic Hurricane Season. The previous most-active season was 2005, when 28 storms were recorded.

Some of the many records set in the 2020 Atlantic season include: twelve named storms made landfall in the United States (previous record was set in 1916 with just nine storms landfalling; first time seven named tropical storms made landfall in the US before September; six hurricanes made landfall over the United States (a tie for first place with 1886 and 1985). This year has also been only the second time the Greek alphabet has been used in the naming scheme. The first was 2005.

Theta spun up in the open Northeastern Atlantic Ocean on November 10 as a sub-tropical system carrying one-minute sustained winds of up to 51 mph (82 km/h). By 2100 UTC (4:00 p.m. EST) on November 10, the NHC advised that the storm had completed a transition to a tropical cyclone, earning it the name Tropical Storm Theta. At that time, one-minute sustained winds were estimated to be 69 mph (111 km/h). Theta remained in the Northeast Atlantic and was moving toward the northeast. It is expected to continue that movement, with perhaps a small amount of intensification before it begins to weaken over open ocean.

According to the National Weather Service, subtropical cyclones originate over tropical or subtropical waters and have a closed circulation about a well-defined center. In comparison to tropical cyclones, the maximum winds occur relatively far from the center (greater than 60 nautical miles) and have a less symmetric wind field and distribution of convection.