Tropical Storm Dolly forms in the Atlantic

Tropical Storm Dolly emerged in the Atlantic on Thursday, marking the fourth named storm of the 2026 hurricane season, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm's name, unrelated to country music icon Dolly Parton, who passed away this week after a battle with cancer, is determined by the NHC well ahead of time. Dolly is currently a tropical storm with winds blowing at 40 miles per hour and is moving westward at a pace of 24 miles per hour.

The forecast suggests that the storm will maintain this intensity before gradually weakening and dissipating into a tropical wave as it approaches the Leeward Islands towards the end of the weekend.

The forecast track indicates that heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Dolly may start affecting the Leeward Islands, including the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola, late Saturday into Sunday. This intense rainfall could lead to flash flooding, particularly in elevated areas. As a reminder, this will be the fourth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, and the next opportunity for the NHC to use the name "Dolly" will not arise until 2032.