Forecasters originally predicted wind shear from an upper level low would prevent strengthening and cause dissipation within three days. However, the depression continued to organize as deep convection continued to develop near the circulation despite moderate amounts of wind shear, and the system strengthened into Tropical Storm Chris six hours after developing. The convection slowly covered the entire system, and by late on the 1st Chris reached winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) while passing 50 miles (80 km) north of the northern Leeward Islands. The structure of Chris continued to improve and become more symmetrical, and an upper level eye feature developed early on August 2. Outflow improved in all quadrants, as well, and the storm reached a peak intensity of 65 mph (100 km/h) shortly thereafter while located 120 miles (195 km) east of St. Thomas. Ins pite of the initial predictions of Chris intensifying to a hurricane as a ridge of high pressure forced it west-northwestward, upper level shear dissipated the well-defined inner core of the storm, and Chris started to weaken.