 A cold front that moved off the southeastern coast of the United States on September 1 developed a weak low over the waters near Georgia . The low drifted eastward and weakened over the next few days until it joined with convection from an upper @-@ level trough that had been moving over the western Atlantic . On September 8 , the center of circulation became sufficiently organized to be declared Subtropical Storm Gabrielle , about 360 nautical miles ( 670 km ) southeast of Cape Hatteras . For the next twelve hours , the system 's strongest winds and thunderstorms remained separated from the center . On September 8 new convection eventually united with the center , leading the transition of Gabrielle into a tropical storm . Gabrielle gradually strengthened as it traveled northwest towards North Carolina and Virginia . The storm reached its peak intensity of 60 mph ( 95 km / h ) just before it arrived in Cape Lookout , though strong wind shear kept most of the convection and surface winds offshore . Gabrielle weakened over land , and moved back into the Atlantic on September 10 . The circulation deteriorated further , and the storm dissipated southwest of Nova Scotia the next day . 
