Large Hurricanes Undergoing Rapid Intensification

[Ptarmigan]

Have there been large hurricanes that have undergone rapid intensification? I know smaller hurricanes go through that more often.

[pojo]

Katrina and Wilma both underwent RI.

[Cyclenall]

I'm not sure why there is a new perception of large hurricanes not having the ability to rapidly strengthen, it happens all the time in active years like 2005.

[wxman57]

Katrina and Wilma both underwent RI.

Wilma's wind radii were quite small during RI. Rita was very small, as well, when it went through RI. Katrina was small when going through RI, but it was a good bit larger than Wilma or Rita. Katrina grew in size after it intensified, not before.

There was a discussion on the tstorms email list last week about RI and small vs. large hurricanes. It does seem as though small hurricanes can fluctuate in intensity over a much shorter time period than larger hurricanes.

[Aslkahuna]

June in 1975 and Tip in 1979 in WPAC come to mind right off the bat.

Steve