Next potential Tropical Storm to be named Dolly
A tropical system could be brewing in the Atlantic
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - Tropical trouble is developing now off the coast of Africa and it has a major resemblance to one of this week’s biggest stories, the loss of Dolly Parton.
Forecasters keeping an eye on an area of low pressure southwest of Cabo Verde Islands
We’re tracking a system in the Atlantic Ocean that could potentially develop into a tropical depression or storm over the next couple of days.
Right now, it’s just an area of low pressure a few hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. There are some showers and thunderstorms with it, but nothing organized yet. As it moves westward across the Atlantic, conditions look somewhat favorable for it to strengthen.
What Could Happen
Here’s the key number: forecasters are giving this system a 60 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression in the next 48 hours. If it keeps organizing and winds reach 39 to 73 mph, it would become a tropical storm and get the name Dolly — the next name on the list.
Before you ask — no has nothing do with the passing of country music legend Dolly Parton. Just a notable coincidence. Atlantic tropical storm names are created years in advance and cycle through a predetermined list. Dolly has been used five times before.
The Timeline
The good news for the Atlantic coast: this system is still out over open ocean. Environmental conditions should stay somewhat favorable through the next couple of days, but forecasters expect things to become less favorable by the weekend, which could limit how much this system develops.
A Look Back at Past Dolly Storms
The name Dolly has shown up in the Atlantic six times:
- 2020: A short-lived tropical storm that formed up near Newfoundland in June. No threat to land.
- 2014: A weak tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico that made landfall in Mexico with some heavy rain.
- 2008: The strongest Dolly on record — it became a Category 2 hurricane and hit South Padre Island, Texas. This one caused over $1 billion in damage and 22 deaths.
- 2002: Stayed out in the open Atlantic. No major impacts.
- 1996: Made landfall in northeastern Mexico near the Texas border with heavy rain.
List of 2026 Tropical Cyclone Names
Below is the list of names chosen by the World Meteorological Organization. These names are used on rotation every 6 years. We have already named 3 tropical systems, Arthur, Bertha, and Cristobal. These storms only maintained tropical storm strength before weakening.
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