Subtropical describes regions of Earth that are almost tropical but slightly cooler, located just north and south of the tropics. These areas sit between the hot, steamy tropics near the equator and the temperate zones where much of the United States and Europe are found.

Subtropical climates feel warm or hot most of the year, with mild winters where snow rarely or never falls. Cities like Miami, parts of southern California, and much of the southeastern United States have subtropical climates. So do places like northern Australia, southern China, and parts of South America.

Think of subtropical as “tropical lite”: you get palm trees, warm weather, and sometimes humidity, but not the extreme year-round heat of true tropical jungles near the equator.

Many popular fruits grow in subtropical regions, including oranges, grapefruits, and avocados. These areas often experience distinct wet and dry seasons, though not as dramatic as in the tropics. When weather forecasters talk about subtropical storms, they mean weather systems that have some tropical features but aren't fully tropical hurricanes.