small window of opportunity... for it to reach tropical storm strength before transitioning to an extratropical cyclone." Convection increased further over the center, and at around 0600 UTC on July 31 the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Chantal while located about 530 miles (855 km) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The storm continued northeastward, under the influence of a mid-level trough, and Chantal quickly developed well-defined curved banding features; six hours after becoming a tropical storm, Chantal reached peak winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). The storm tracked through an area of progressively cold waters and cooler air, resulting in the weakening of its convection. The circulation became embedded within the approaching frontal zone, and by 0600 UTC on August 1 Chantal transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. After becoming an extratropical cyclone, Chantal maintained scattered convection near its center, though its main area of convection and clouds extended to its north. Midday on August 1, the cyclone struck Newfoundland along the Avalon Peninsula, hitting the Placentia Area with full force. It subsequently intensified to attain winds of near hurricane-force. On August 3 the cyclone underwent a final weakening trend in the far northern Atlantic Ocean, and on August 5 the extratropical remnants of Chantal merged with another extratropical cyclone to the east of Iceland. Impact The precursor disturbance to Chantal began affecting Bermuda on July 30, producing scattered storms and increased cloud cover. The next day the system dropped more rainfall as it passed to the west of the island, and in the two-day period precipitation accumulated to 2.12 inches (53.8 mm) at the Bermuda International Airport, accounting for 35% of the monthly rainfall total. Thunderstorms were reported on the island, and maximum reported winds on the island reached 45 mph (72 km/h). After Chantal passed Bermuda, a ship with the call sign C60Y4 recorded sustained winds of 37 mph (59 km/h) over the open waters of the north Atlantic Ocean. At around 2300 UTC on July 31, a buoy to the southeast of Nova Scotia reported a pressure of 995 mbar as Chantal passed nearby. Shortly after it first became a tropical storm, the Atlantic Storm Prediction Center of Canada issued gale warnings for the coastal waters off Newfoundland. Later, the Newfoundland Labrador Weather Office issued heavy rainfall warnings for southeastern Newfoundland. In offshore waters, wave heights reached 20 feet (6 m). Onshore, the storm produced moderately strong winds,