Hurricane Ethel (1960)

Hurricane Ethel

Category 3 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Surface weather analysis of Hurricane Ethel on September 15
Formed	September 12, 1960
Dissipated	September 17, 1960
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 115 mph (185 km/h)
Lowest pressure	974 mbar (hPa); 28.76 inHg
Fatalities	1 indirect
Damage	$1.5 million (1960 USD)
Areas affected	Southern United States
Part of the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season

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. 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.

Because the storm rapidly weakened before landfall, a potential "worst-case scenario" was avoided. In Louisiana, the western edge of the storm produced light rainfall and hurricane-force winds, though no damage occurred in that state. Offshore of Mississippi, rough seas inundated Horn Island and split Ship Island. Tropical storm force winds in the southern portion of the state littered broken glass, trees, and signs across streets in Pascagoula, as well as down power lines, which caused some residents to lose electricity. In Alabama, winds damaged beach cottages in cities along the Gulf Coast, and damaged crops in five counties in the southern portion of the state. Although large amounts of precipitation fell in the extreme western portions of the state, no flooding occurred in Florida. A lightning strike to a power station near Tallahassee caused a briefly citywide blackout. The storm spawned four tornadoes in Florida, one of which destroyed 25 homes. Outside the Gulf Coast of the United States, rain fell in other states, but no damage is known to have occurred. Overall, Ethel caused 1 fatality and $1.5 million (1960 USD) in damage.