▁January   1 0 . ▁Ste ered ▁by ▁anom alous ▁high ▁pressure , ▁the ▁disturb ance ▁turned ▁sout heast ▁and ▁track ed ▁over ▁war mer ▁waters . ▁Its ▁associated ▁front s ▁diss ip ated , ▁its ▁wind ▁field ▁became ▁more ▁symmetric , ▁and ▁con ve ction ▁increased ▁near ▁the ▁center , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁Sub t rop ical ▁Storm ▁Alex ▁by ▁ 1 8 : 0 0   UTC ▁on ▁January   1 2 . ▁Despite ▁marg inal ▁ocean ▁temper atures , ▁Alex ▁benef ited ▁from ▁rapidly ▁cool ing ▁upper - air ▁temper atures , ▁and ▁it ▁intens ified ▁quickly ▁while ▁turning ▁n ortheast . ▁The ▁presence ▁of ▁deeper ▁con ve ction ▁near ▁the ▁center ▁and ▁an ▁eye ▁on ▁conventional ▁satellite ▁show c ased ▁the ▁storm ' s ▁transition ▁into ▁a ▁fully ▁tropical ▁cy clone ▁and ▁intens ification ▁into ▁a ▁h urr icane ▁by ▁ 0 6 : 0 0   UTC ▁on ▁January   1 4 . ▁Six ▁hours ▁later , ▁it ▁pe aked ▁with ▁maximum ▁sust ained ▁wind s ▁of ▁ 8 5   m ph ▁( 1 4 0   km / h ). ▁Alex ▁turned ▁north ▁after ▁peak , ▁and ▁the ▁storm ▁weak ened ▁to ▁a ▁tropical ▁storm ▁before ▁making ▁land fall ▁on ▁Ter ce ira ▁Island , ▁Az ores . ▁With ▁decre asing ▁core ▁con ve ction ▁and ▁an ▁imp ing ing ▁warm ▁front , ▁Alex ▁transition ed ▁into ▁an ▁extr at rop ical ▁cy clone ▁by ▁ 1 8 : 0 0   UTC ▁on