 Continuing generally westward , Dean continued to gradually intensify and became a hurricane on August 2 after an Air Force reconnaissance flight had recorded hurricane @-@ force winds . The following day a decreasing ridge of high pressure to the north and a trough of low pressure forming off the East Coast of the United States caused Dean to slow in its forward motion and turn northwest . The trough of low pressure forming off the East Coast of the United States was deepening , causing Dean to curve northward while remaining nearly stationary . After remaining nearly stationary , Dean began to accelerate to a forward speed of 17 mph ( 28 km / h ) as it headed toward Bermuda . Thereafter , Dean intensified into a Category 2 hurricane , whilst the eastern half of the eyewall brushed Bermuda . Dean continued to intensify slightly after passing the island of Bermuda and became a Category 2 hurricane on August 7 . While Dean was a Category 2 hurricane , it attained its peak intensity with winds of 105 mph ( 165 km / h ) and a minimum pressure of 968 mbar ( hPa ; 28 @.@ 59 inHg ) . 
