what was the most huge atlantic hurricane ever

[alan1961]

Mitch was a huge Hurricane even though it didn't travel very far.

http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/goes/981026.mitch.vis.jpg

http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/courses/ESS ... 27-n15.gif

http://redstick.files.wordpress.com/200 ... c-g8ir.gif

[Mecklenburg]

You need to define size. How about the size of the tropical storm force wind field while the TC was fully tropical? We've done quite a bit of research on TC wind field size over the last 3-4 years.

Wilma's average 39 mph wind radius was about 198nm after passing Florida, but it was transitioning to an extratropical storm at that point.
Ivan's TS force wind field at around 26N was just a little bigger than Wilma's at an average of 204nm.
Rita's was 155nm
Katrina's 39 mph wind field maxed out at about 185nm average distance from center.
Isabel's 39 mph wind radius topped out at an average 244nm when it was at 32N.
Gert of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 167nm while still in the deep tropics.
Floyd of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 205nm east of the Bahamas
Cindy of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 235nm at 29N/57W
Fran of 1996 had an average 39 mph radius of 186nm at 28n/75W
Bertha of 1996 had an average 39 mph radius of 213nm near 24N/73W
Roxanne of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 184nm in the BoC
Opal of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 202nm in the mid Gulf
Luis of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 216nm near 29N/70W
Felix of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 222nm near 29N/63W
Hugo of 1989 had an average 39 mph radius of 186nm near 29N/86W
Gabriel of 1989 had an average 39 mph radius of 250nm near 29N/60W
Gilbert of 1988 had an average 39 mph radius of 239nm near 22N/84W
Carla of 1961 had an average 39 mph radius of an estimated 200nm in the NW Gulf

I'm unsure of the nature of Gabriel in 1989. It may have begun to lose tropical characteristics by the time its 39 mph wind field reached 250nm. In that case, Isabel of 2003 would be the winner at 244 nm radius.

ok... what is the most huge hurricane ever by size in diameter? not storm wind extent...

[Category 5]

You need to define size. How about the size of the tropical storm force wind field while the TC was fully tropical? We've done quite a bit of research on TC wind field size over the last 3-4 years.

Wilma's average 39 mph wind radius was about 198nm after passing Florida, but it was transitioning to an extratropical storm at that point.
Ivan's TS force wind field at around 26N was just a little bigger than Wilma's at an average of 204nm.
Rita's was 155nm
Katrina's 39 mph wind field maxed out at about 185nm average distance from center.
Isabel's 39 mph wind radius topped out at an average 244nm when it was at 32N.
Gert of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 167nm while still in the deep tropics.
Floyd of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 205nm east of the Bahamas
Cindy of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 235nm at 29N/57W
Fran of 1996 had an average 39 mph radius of 186nm at 28n/75W
Bertha of 1996 had an average 39 mph radius of 213nm near 24N/73W
Roxanne of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 184nm in the BoC
Opal of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 202nm in the mid Gulf
Luis of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 216nm near 29N/70W
Felix of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 222nm near 29N/63W
Hugo of 1989 had an average 39 mph radius of 186nm near 29N/86W
Gabriel of 1989 had an average 39 mph radius of 250nm near 29N/60W
Gilbert of 1988 had an average 39 mph radius of 239nm near 22N/84W
Carla of 1961 had an average 39 mph radius of an estimated 200nm in the NW Gulf

I'm unsure of the nature of Gabriel in 1989. It may have begun to lose tropical characteristics by the time its 39 mph wind field reached 250nm. In that case, Isabel of 2003 would be the winner at 244 nm radius.

ok... what is the most huge hurricane ever by size in diameter? not storm wind extent...

I don't think it's possible to give a sure answer there.

[Mecklenburg]

You need to define size. How about the size of the tropical storm force wind field while the TC was fully tropical? We've done quite a bit of research on TC wind field size over the last 3-4 years.

Wilma's average 39 mph wind radius was about 198nm after passing Florida, but it was transitioning to an extratropical storm at that point.
Ivan's TS force wind field at around 26N was just a little bigger than Wilma's at an average of 204nm.
Rita's was 155nm
Katrina's 39 mph wind field maxed out at about 185nm average distance from center.
Isabel's 39 mph wind radius topped out at an average 244nm when it was at 32N.
Gert of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 167nm while still in the deep tropics.
Floyd of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 205nm east of the Bahamas
Cindy of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 235nm at 29N/57W
Fran of 1996 had an average 39 mph radius of 186nm at 28n/75W
Bertha of 1996 had an average 39 mph radius of 213nm near 24N/73W
Roxanne of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 184nm in the BoC
Opal of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 202nm in the mid Gulf
Luis of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 216nm near 29N/70W
Felix of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 222nm near 29N/63W
Hugo of 1989 had an average 39 mph radius of 186nm near 29N/86W
Gabriel of 1989 had an average 39 mph radius of 250nm near 29N/60W
Gilbert of 1988 had an average 39 mph radius of 239nm near 22N/84W
Carla of 1961 had an average 39 mph radius of an estimated 200nm in the NW Gulf

I'm unsure of the nature of Gabriel in 1989. It may have begun to lose tropical characteristics by the time its 39 mph wind field reached 250nm. In that case, Isabel of 2003 would be the winner at 244 nm radius.

ok... what is the most huge hurricane ever by size in diameter? not storm wind extent...

I don't think it's possible to give a sure answer there.

just basing on satellite images in your own opinion... i'm not saying that you would go ahead measure it with a meter stick...

[Category 5]

just basing on satellite images in your own opinion... i'm not saying that you would go ahead measure it with a meter stick...

Thats the problem, Satellite only goes back to 1960, and a major suspect was in 1944.

[Ptarmigan]

Gilbert, Floyd, Allen. Derek is correct about Wilma I believe but I do believe thats when ETT was getting underway.

I've never heard a definative answer as to what was the "Most Huge" Atlantic Hurricane ever.

I always thought Katrina was one of the largest hurricanes on record. I know Katrina had hurricane force winds extending up to 125 miles from the eye. Even at her peak of 902 mb and 175 mph, she had hurricane force winds extending up to 105 miles. Most Category 5 hurricanes do not have hurricane force winds extending that far! Even Wilma at her peak of 882 mb was 50 miles at most.

[Ptarmigan]

You need to define size. How about the size of the tropical storm force wind field while the TC was fully tropical? We've done quite a bit of research on TC wind field size over the last 3-4 years.

Wilma's average 39 mph wind radius was about 198nm after passing Florida, but it was transitioning to an extratropical storm at that point.
Ivan's TS force wind field at around 26N was just a little bigger than Wilma's at an average of 204nm.
Rita's was 155nm
Katrina's 39 mph wind field maxed out at about 185nm average distance from center.
Isabel's 39 mph wind radius topped out at an average 244nm when it was at 32N.
Gert of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 167nm while still in the deep tropics.
Floyd of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 205nm east of the Bahamas
Cindy of 1999 had an average 39 mph radius of 235nm at 29N/57W
Fran of 1996 had an average 39 mph radius of 186nm at 28n/75W
Bertha of 1996 had an average 39 mph radius of 213nm near 24N/73W
Roxanne of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 184nm in the BoC
Opal of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 202nm in the mid Gulf
Luis of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 216nm near 29N/70W
Felix of 1995 had an average 39 mph radius of 222nm near 29N/63W
Hugo of 1989 had an average 39 mph radius of 186nm near 29N/86W
Gabriel of 1989 had an average 39 mph radius of 250nm near 29N/60W
Gilbert of 1988 had an average 39 mph radius of 239nm near 22N/84W
Carla of 1961 had an average 39 mph radius of an estimated 200nm in the NW Gulf

I'm unsure of the nature of Gabriel in 1989. It may have begun to lose tropical characteristics by the time its 39 mph wind field reached 250nm. In that case, Isabel of 2003 would be the winner at 244 nm radius.

Where did you get all the data for those storms? I have tried finding them. Gabriel was quite large, had TS winds extending up to 250 miles at one point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gabrielle_(1989)

It was a little larger than Katrina which had TS winds up to 230 miles.

[Ptarmigan]

Gilbert in 1988 was huge.

Oh God! Gilbert! That one scared everyone in Texas!

[Mecklenburg]

wasn't ISABEL a huge storm?

[Category 5]

wasn't ISABEL a huge storm?

On the North and East sides. I got 55mph winds all the way up in New Jersey.

[RL3AO]

Even Wilma at her peak of 882 mb was 50 miles at most.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 884 MB
EYE DIAMETER 5 NM
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS 150 KT WITH GUSTS TO 185 KT.
64 KT....... 15NE 15SE 15SW 15NW.


The next advisory that had 882 went up to 45 nmi, but it had reached its peak and the winds had started to spread out.

[Mecklenburg]

GERT of 1999 was pretty huge as well

[wxman57]

ok... what is the most huge hurricane ever by size in diameter? not storm wind extent...

Size in diameter of what?? The cirrus outflow? The core? Outermost closed isobar? What? You have to define it in some measurable aspect. like measured wind field.

[wxman57]

Where did you get all the data for those storms? I have tried finding them. Gabriel was quite large, had TS winds extending up to 250 miles at one point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gabrielle_(1989)

It was a little larger than Katrina which had TS winds up to 230 miles.

There is a data set of all Atlantic TCs since 1988 available. It has every advisory coordinates, max winds, and 39, 58, and 74 mph radii. I have it as an Excel spreadsheet. Derek probably knows the link to the online data. Some of the tropical storms in there had a tropical storm wind field of nearly 1000 miles across, but they were undergoing ET transition at the time.

[Mecklenburg]

ok... what is the most huge hurricane ever by size in diameter? not storm wind extent...

Size in diameter of what?? The cirrus outflow? The core? Outermost closed isobar? What? You have to define it in some measurable aspect. like measured wind field.

sigh... size... as in like how Typhoon Tip was the most huge storm ever... and Cyclone Tracy was the most petite... i hope everyone now catches my drift...

[abajan]

Great Atlantic Hurricane, 1944.

The Great Hurricane in October of 1780 is believed to have been both massive and powerful.

[RL3AO]

ok... what is the most huge hurricane ever by size in diameter? not storm wind extent...

Size in diameter of what?? The cirrus outflow? The core? Outermost closed isobar? What? You have to define it in some measurable aspect. like measured wind field.

sigh... size... as in like how Typhoon Tip was the most huge storm ever... and Cyclone Tracy was the most petite... i hope everyone now catches my drift...

That would be diameter of TS force winds.

[Mecklenburg]

Great Atlantic Hurricane, 1944.

The Great Hurricane in October of 1780 is believed to have been both massive and powerful.

not only that it was massive and powerful, it was also a rare cape verde storm that formed late in the season... is it unusual for a CV hurricane to form in October?

[Honeyko]

Tracy...bah. Monica pOwns her in petiteness. (But Darwin needs the tourist bucks, so....carry on.)

[Mecklenburg]

Great Atlantic Hurricane, 1944.

The Great Hurricane in October of 1780 is believed to have been both massive and powerful.

the Great Hurricane of 1780 must have been at least cat.4 in it's peak...