If a late season hurricane raced sufficiently fast into northern latitudes could it spawn a huge snowstorm?

Answer 1

Yes, in theory. Here in NZ extra-tropical depressions have caused problems. The two most famous were the Wahine storm in 1968, which caused storm force winds and heavy rain all over the country except the far south and the loss of a passenger ferry and 51 lives, and Cyclone Bola in 1987 which caused land slips and flooding in the northeast of the North Island. Both originated in the tropical south Pacific. I can't recall any snowstorms, but there's no reason why they couldn't occur. Of course, tropical storms need a sea temperature of at least 23 Celsius to form, but they can still pack a punch for a long time after they've drifted into the temperate zone, as long as they stay over water. Once I was in Florida in a cold January and the motelier described how once a winter depression had caused a snowstorm in Havana, but that was an ordinary mid-latitude depression.

Answer 2

Hurricanes get their fuel from warm water. That is why they almost exlcusively form near the equator. I think it would be unlikely, but I see no reason why a hurricane couldn't turn into a snowstorm. Probably by the time it reached freezing temp. it would have downgraded into a tropical depression, but it would still be cool.