Tropical Storm Dolly formed early Thursday morning over the central tropical Atlantic, becoming the fourth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center said.
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Though it is expected to be a short-lived storm. The NHC said Dolly is expected to degenerate into a tropical wave before it reached the Leeward Islands.
Tracking Invest 96L in the Atlantic
Timeline:
The NHC said in its 11 a.m. update that Tropical Storm Dolly was 1,555 miles east of the Leeward Islands, traveling west at 24 mph. Sustained winds were estimated to be 40 mph.
Dolly is not expected to strengthen over the next 48 hours, and is forecast to downgrade to a tropical wave by the weekend, the NHC said.
Unfavorable conditions ahead. Is redevelopment possible?
There is a large wall of El Nino-driven wind shear waiting near the leeward Islands, which would likely tear the system apart, according to the FOX 13 Weather Authority.
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Is there a chance that remnants could redevelop? We will have to wait and see. This wave is still far away.
Any impacts for Florida?
No immediate impacts on the U.S. or Florida.
Is Dolly named after Dolly Parton?
Nope — this is pure coincidence. There are 21 storm names issued ahead of every hurricane season, which rotate every six years. That means the 2026 hurricane names will again be used in 2032, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Some names are retired if they were particularly devastating or deadly.Â
The names are used to help track multiple storms being monitored during the season, especially if two or more storms develop at the same time, as well as to help keep clear communication between government agencies, meteorologists and forecasters, and the public about a specific storm.
Who picks the hurricane storm names?
The hurricane storm names are decided by an international body of forecasters and the World Meteorological Organization.
Read more Is Tropical Storm Dolly named after Dolly Parton? No. Here’s how storm names are picked.
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