Gabrielle became a subtropical storm. Then, the National Hurricane Center sent out a tropical storm watch from Edisto Beach, South Carolina to Oregon Inlet in North Carolina, including the Pamlico Sound. As the storm came close to land, the storm watch for areas south of Cape Fear, North Carolina was taken away. At the same time, a tropical storm warning was declared from Surf City, North Carolina to the North Carolina – Virginia state border. A tropical storm watch was also issued for parts of the Delmarva Peninsula and Chesapeake Bay.