 Hurricane Ethel was one of two major hurricanes in the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season . The sixth known tropical cyclone , fifth named storm , and fourth hurricane of the season , Ethel developed from a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico on September 14 . After becoming a tropical storm , Ethel rapidly intensified and became a hurricane six hours later . By early on September 15 , the storm reached major hurricane intensity when it became a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir – Simpson Hurricane Scale . At 0600 UTC on September 15 , Ethel intensified to its peak as a Category 5 hurricane . However , shortly thereafter , Ethel rapidly weakened back to a Category 1 hurricane while brushing eastern Louisiana . Later on September 15 , Ethel weakened to a tropical storm . Early on the following day , Ethel made landfall in Pascagoula , Mississippi . The storm gradually weakened inland , before eventually dissipating over southern Kentucky on September 17 . 
