<sod>On August&nbsp;17, the NHC highlighted the potential for tropical cyclone development off the western coast of Africa in subsequent days.<ref>{{cite web|author=Stacy R. Stewart|title=Tropical Weather Outlook|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/xgtwo/gtwo_archive.php?current_issuance=201608172041&basin=atl&fdays=5|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 17, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> A weak area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave emerged into the eastern Atlantic three days, later,<ref>{{cite web|author=Robbie J. Berg|title=Tropical Weather Outlook|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/xgtwo/gtwo_archive.php?current_issuance=201608210249&basin=atl&fdays=5|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 17, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> and the disturbance steadily coalesced into a tropical depression by 21:00&nbsp;UTC on August&nbsp;22.<ref>{{cite report|author1=Robbie J. Berg|author2=David P. Roberts|title=Tropical Depression Seven Public Advisory Number 1|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.public.001.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 22, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> The newly-formed depression organized while headed northwest, intensifying into Tropical Storm Gaston six hours after classification and attaining hurricane intensity by 09:00&nbsp;UTC on August&nbsp;25 in accordance with data from the NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft.<ref>{{cite report|author=Daniel P. Brown|title=Tropical Storm Gaston Public Advisory Number 2|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.public.002.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 22, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|author=Robbie J. Berg|title=Hurricane Gaston Public Advisory Number 11|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.public.011.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 25, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> After its initial peak in intensity, Gaston's satellite appearance began to degrade as an upper-level low imparted strong southwesterly shear on the cyclone.<ref>{{cite report|author=Robbie J. Berg|title=Hurricane Gaston Discussion Number 11|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.discus.012.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 25, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> Upper-level winds slackened early on August&nbsp;27, and a timely microwave pass highlighted the presence of a low-level eye well embedded in the storm's central dense overcast, indicating the resumption of Gaston's intensification phase.<ref>{{cite report|author=Stacy R. Stewart|title=Tropical Storm Gaston Discussion Number 20|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.discus.020.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 27, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref><eod>
<sod>On August&nbsp;17, the NHC highlighted the potential for tropical cyclone development off the western coast of Africa in subsequent days.<ref>{{cite web|author=Stacy R. Stewart|title=Tropical Weather Outlook|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/xgtwo/gtwo_archive.php?current_issuance=201608172041&basin=atl&fdays=5|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 17, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> A weak area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave emerged into the eastern Atlantic three days, later,<ref>{{cite web|author=Robbie J. Berg|title=Tropical Weather Outlook|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/xgtwo/gtwo_archive.php?current_issuance=201608210249&basin=atl&fdays=5|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 17, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> and the disturbance steadily coalesced into a tropical depression by 21:00&nbsp;UTC on August&nbsp;22.<ref>{{cite report|author1=Robbie J. Berg|author2=David P. Roberts|title=Tropical Depression Seven Public Advisory Number 1|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.public.001.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 22, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> The newly-formed depression organized while headed northwest, intensifying into Tropical Storm Gaston six hours after classification and attaining hurricane intensity by 09:00&nbsp;UTC on August&nbsp;25 in accordance with data from the NASA [[Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk|Global Hawk]] unmanned aircraft.<ref>{{cite report|author=Daniel P. Brown|title=Tropical Storm Gaston Public Advisory Number 2|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.public.002.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 22, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|author=Robbie J. Berg|title=Hurricane Gaston Public Advisory Number 11|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.public.011.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 25, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> After its initial peak in intensity, Gaston's satellite appearance began to degrade as an upper-level low imparted strong southwesterly shear on the cyclone.<ref>{{cite report|author=Robbie J. Berg|title=Hurricane Gaston Discussion Number 11|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.discus.012.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 25, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref> Upper-level winds slackened early on August&nbsp;27, and a timely microwave pass highlighted the presence of a low-level eye well embedded in the storm's central dense overcast, indicating the resumption of Gaston's intensification phase.<ref>{{cite report|author=Stacy R. Stewart|title=Tropical Storm Gaston Discussion Number 20|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2016/al07/al072016.discus.020.shtml|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=August 27, 2016|accessdate=September 12, 2016}}</ref><eod>