 Although the US Navy reconnaissance plane recorded winds of 160 mph ( 260 km / h ) , the actual peak intensity of Ethel has been in dispute since . Due to an abnormally high minimum barometric pressure of 972 mbar ( hPa ; 28 @.@ 7 inHg ) , it is believed that Ethel may have only peaked as a Category 2 hurricane , which is calculated with the pressure to wind relationship . In addition , the extreme intensification and rapid weakening deems it more unlikely that Ethel had peaked as a Category 5 hurricane . Ethel is expected to be downgraded to a low @-@ end Category 3 hurricane , with peak maximum sustained winds of 115 mph ( 185 km / h ) , as part of the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project . 
