The seventh and final tropical cyclone of the very inactive 1983 Atlantic hurricane season, Dean developed from a frontal low to the northeast of the Bahamas on September 26.

While tracking northward on September 28, Dean peaked with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h), shortly before curving west-northwestward and slowly leveling-off in intensity.

While located about 455 mi (732 km) east of Vero Beach, Florida, a low-level circulation developed within the frontal cloud band on September 26.

At around 1800 UTC that day, the NHC classified the system as a subtropical storm, due to a ship report of gale force winds 230 mi (370 km) from the center.

[2] As a result, it was re-classified as Tropical Storm Dean at 1800 UTC on September 27 while approximately 575 mi (925 km) east of Jacksonville, Florida.

[4] Small craft advisories were also raised along much of the eastern seaboard, covering places between Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Jupiter Inlet, Florida.

[10] As the storm moved inland over Virginia, its outer bands and high winds prompted more than 100 campers on Ocracoke Island and Cape Hatteras to evacuate after 1 ft (0.30 m) of water flooded North Carolina Highway 12.

Throughout coastal waters off North Carolina, king mackerel appeared in near-record numbers, improving the local fishing industry.

[9][17] In Maryland, thousands of tons of sand was removed by rough seas near Ocean City; beach erosion also occurred at nearby Assateague Island.

Minor effects were reported in Delaware, limited to winds gusts up to 50 mph (80 km/h), which caused the loss of tons of sand along beaches.

In coastal New Jersey, locally heavy rainfall resulted in traffic jams, downed power lines, and numerous commuting problems.

In some areas of New York, especially in the southeastern portions of the state, rainfall exceeding 2 in (51 mm) in 24 hours flooded roadways and delayed trains.