 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.
