Though the upper-level trough advanced eastward away from the hurricane, a trailing cold front became intertwined with Dennis, forcing dry air into the circulation in addition to creating a hostile upper-level environment. On September 1, the system weakened below hurricane intensity, with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noting that the storm could be as much an extratropical as a subtropical or tropical cyclone. Thereafter, a building ridge over the eastern United States forced the storm southward across slightly warmer ocean temperatures. As a result, banding features became better defined despite low convective tops as viewed on radar and in satellite imagery. On September 3, the high drifted eastward into the Atlantic, forcing Dennis to turn northwestward. A formative eyewall was observed on September 4, and Dennis reached a secondary peak intensity with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) by 18:00 UTC. Three hours later, the system moved ashore the Cape Lookout National Seashore in eastern North Carolina at this intensity. Continuing inland, Dennis weakened to a tropical depression over central North Carolina at 12:00 UTC on September 5. The cyclone drifted erratically even overland, turning northeast and eventually north before dissipating over New York at 18:00 UTC on September 7. Two days later, the low was absorbed into a larger cyclone.