 As Ethel neared landfall , forecasters within the United States Weather Bureau were unsure of the future track and intensity of the hurricane due to the unusual strengthening and weakening . Around 1100 UTC on September 15 , the center of Ethel brushed the coastline of Plaquemines Parish , Louisiana with winds of 90 mph ( 150 km / h ) . Continuing northward , the hurricane further weakened to a tropical storm as it was approaching the Gulf Coast of the United States . Shortly before 0000 UTC on September 16 , Ethel made landfall in Pascagoula , Mississippi with winds of 70 mph ( 110 km / h ) . Gradual weakening took place as the storm moved inland over Mississippi and by 1800 UTC on September 16 , Ethel was further downgraded to a tropical depression . The remnants of the former hurricane continued moving towards the north @-@ northwest before dissipating on September 17 over southern Kentucky . 
