uda . ▁The ▁rem n ants ▁merged ▁with ▁a ▁weak ening ▁front al ▁zone ▁near ▁B erm uda ▁on ▁August   2 5 . ▁ ▁H urr icane ▁Gast on ▁ ▁On ▁August   1 7 , ▁the ▁N HC ▁highlight ed ▁the ▁potential ▁for ▁tropical ▁cy c log en esis ▁off ▁the ▁western ▁coast ▁of ▁Africa ▁in ▁subsequent ▁days . ▁A ▁weak ▁area ▁of ▁low ▁pressure ▁associated ▁with ▁a ▁tropical ▁wave ▁emer ged ▁into ▁the ▁eastern ▁Atlantic ▁three ▁days ▁later , ▁and ▁the ▁disturb ance ▁stead ily ▁co ales ced ▁into ▁a ▁tropical ▁de pression ▁by ▁ 1 2 : 0 0   UTC ▁on ▁August   2 2 , ▁about ▁ 3 0 5   mi ▁( 4 9 0   km ) ▁south west ▁of ▁the ▁southern most ▁Cab o ▁Ver de ▁Islands . ▁The ▁de pression ▁organized ▁while ▁heading ▁north west , ▁intens ifying ▁into ▁Trop ical ▁Storm ▁Gast on ▁six ▁hours ▁later ▁and ▁att aining ▁h urr icane ▁intensity ▁by ▁ 1 2 : 0 0   UTC ▁on ▁August   2 4 , ▁in ▁accord ance ▁with ▁data ▁from ▁sat ell ites ▁and ▁an ▁NASA ▁Global ▁Haw k ▁un mann ed ▁aircraft . ▁After ▁its ▁initial ▁peak ▁in ▁intensity , ▁Gast on ' s ▁satellite ▁appearance ▁began ▁to ▁deg rade ▁as ▁an ▁upper - level ▁low ▁im part ed ▁strong ▁south w ester ly ▁she ar ▁on ▁the ▁cy clone , ▁causing ▁it ▁to ▁weak en ▁back ▁to ▁a ▁tropical ▁storm . ▁Upper - level ▁wind s