 A cold front moved off the southeast coast of the United States on September 1 . Gradually decaying , the front degenerated into an area of cloudiness and showers just east of the Georgia coast on September 2 . Tracking eastward , a weak low pressure area developed the next day . It slowly became better organized as its motion became erratic , and by late on September 4 the convection had become concentrated to the east of the center . On September 5 , a Hurricane Hunters flight indicated the system had not acquired the characteristics of a tropical or subtropical cyclone . Interaction with an upper @-@ level trough resulted in moderate wind shear which suppressed further development , and by September 6 the thunderstorm activity lost much organization . Upper @-@ level winds became increasingly favorable , allowing the convection to concentrate about halfway between North Carolina and Bermuda . With a deep @-@ layer ridge to its north , the system turned to a steady west @-@ northwest track . A reconnaissance aircraft flight late on September 7 reported a very elongated center , with peak flight winds of 55 mph ( 90 km / h ) about 100 miles ( 160 km ) northeast of the center . Subsequent to the flight , the center became slightly better organized , and based on the large wind field and the presence of an upper @-@ level low to its west @-@ southwest , the National Hurricane Center classified the system as Subtropical Storm Gabrielle early on September 8 while located about 385 miles ( 625 km ) southeast of Cape Lookout , North Carolina . 
