Strongest TC with a large RMW

[MiamiensisWx]

This will be an interesting thread...

This is different than the "largest size" TC topic. Size often refers to the expanse of TS force (>34 kt) and hurricane (>74 kt) winds. The Radius of Maximum Winds (RMW) is the distance from the center (eye) to the maximum sustained winds in a tropical cyclone. In your opinion, what is the strongest tropical cyclone (1-min wind) with a large RMW greater than 15 nmi?

Here are some possible candidates...

1. 1916 Texas hurricane (Storm 6)
2. 1926 Miami (Storm 6)
3. 1928 Okeechobee (Storm 4)
4. Carla 1961
5. Gilbert 1988 (Gulf of Mexico)

I'm not so positive about Gilbert and Carla, as I need actual data for those storms.

Remember that large sizes (wind field) do not always imply a large RMW. The 1919 hurricane and Rita 2005 (I believe) had small RMWs at their peak intensities, and they were large storms with respect to wind fields.

Professional meteorologists can feel free to offer their views...

[Aslkahuna]

Carla had a diameter of hurricane force winds of 175 miles with TS force well out from there. It was also a Cat 4 hit in Texas with gusts to 170+ mph at Port Lavaca. The Great Atlantic hurricane of 1944 had a larger diameter of hurricane force winds and TS force winds but there's some question as to its structure. Mustn't forget STY Tip. (see the 1979 ATCR from JTWC for the size numbers).

Steve

[MiamiensisWx]

I was referring to the Radius of Maximum Winds (i.e. strongest 1-min wind in the eyewall). RMW describes the distance from the eye to this maximum wind barb. I was not referring to wind fields.

In your opinion, what is the strongest TC with a RMW greater than 15 nautical miles?

I apologize if you don't have any possible answers or candidates. I understand that most RMW data is only available at the time of landfalls in the United States...

[Ptarmigan]

I am inclined to say Gilbert likely had the largest RMW in the Atlantic basin. It is one of the largest Atlantic hurricanes on record. I noticed two of the five hurricanes you listed hit Texas, Hurricane 6 1916 and Carla. Gilbert was a close call for Texas.

[Stratosphere747]

Here is a good read Miami.... You may have already seen it.

http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/~kossin/articl ... 2007WF.pdf

[CrazyC83]

One candidate I can think of is Storm 2 of 1919 (the Atlantic-Gulf Hurricane) at its peak intensity (all up to speculation - my guess is 155 kt - but it was likely a Cat 5 at its peak), and ship data suggested it had a very large field of high intensity winds.

[Derek Ortt]

Gilbert... not really close

Maybe Isabel when it made landfall at NC. RMW of about 50NM

1938 hurricane and Bob also two good candidates

[HurricaneRobert]

The models for Dean went crazy with this, showing a huge rmw. Did it ever get close to this?

[Recurve]

Stratosphere, from the link you posted, it seems eye diameter is the most linked to r maxwind, and larger eye diameter means larger rmw.

What about Betsy 1965 at Cat 4 with a 40-50 mile diameter eye?
Or am I oversimplifying?

Was the original idea the greatest extent of the rmw band or just the greatest distance from the center of the eye?