later merged with the system, causing cloud features to become better organized by September 23. After three days, the low-level circulation became well-defined, resulting in the development of a tropical depression about northeast of the Lesser Antilles. The depression moved slowly northward and intensified into Tropical Storm Gloria at 12:00 UTC on September 27. Early the following day, Gloria began moving northwestward. By 06:00 UTC on September 29, the cyclone intensified into a hurricane and became a Category 2 hurricane about 24 hours later. Gloria peaked with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of at 12:00 UTC on September 30, based on reconnaissance observations and satellite imagery. Beginning on September 30, the hurricane tracked northeastward and then east-northward due to a multiple short-wave troughs crossing Atlantic Canada and moving into the Atlantic. Gloria slowly leveled off in intensity, weakening to a Category 1 hurricane at 12:00 UTC on October 1. Early the next day, the storm fell to tropical storm status. After a jog to the east-southeast on October 3, Gloria resumed its east-northeasterly motion on October 4. Around that time, the cyclone weakened to a tropical depression. Gloria also began losing tropical characteristics and became extratropical about west-southwest of the northwesternmost islands of the Azores at 00:00 UTC on October 5. Hurricane Holly A tropical wave emerged from the west coast of Africa on October 14. The wave initially remained relatively weak, until convection began concentrating near the center while it was situated well east of the Lesser Antilles on October 20. After further organization, a tropical depression developed at 18:00 UTC on October 22 roughly 405 mi (650 km) east-northeast of the Leeward Islands. The depression moved north-northwestward and strengthened into Tropical Storm Holly about 24 hours later. Shortly thereafter, the storm curved north-northeastward and intensified at a faster pace. At 12:00 UTC on October 24, Holly became a Category 1 hurricane and peaked with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of . However, the system weakened back to a tropical storm about 24 hours later due to interaction with an upper trough. Early on October 27, Holly began accelerating northeastward ahead of a cold front. The storm merged with the cold front late on October 28 about northwest of the Azores. The remnants quickly became indistinguishable. Other systems Throughout the 1976 season, there