The storm accelerated somewhat by August 26, and early that day, it was moving at about . An approaching mid-level trough steered Bonnie north-northeast, and at 2100 UTC on August 26, the eye passed east of Cape Fear, North Carolina. The hurricane once again slowed, and early the next day, it made landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina as a strong Category 2 hurricane. Doppler weather radar displays estimated that maximum sustained winds had quickly weakened to below hurricane intensity, and the storm was briefly downgraded to a tropical storm. However, as the storm turned towards the east in response to the approaching trough, the center neared open waters and the winds began to re-intensify. As a result, the cyclone re-attained hurricane status at 0000 UTC on August 28. Offshore, the center began drifting roughly eastward. Entering colder waters, hurricane status was lost at 1800 UTC that day, followed by an acceleration to the northeast. The storm began to lose deep thunderstorm activity, and was forecast to lose tropical characteristics and become an extratropical cyclone within days. By early on August 29, little connection remained over the western semicircle, and only a band of such activity persisted to the southeast of the center. Bonnie became extratropical around 1800 UTC on August 30, to the southeast of Newfoundland.