Why Is the New Tropical Storm Spinning Up in the Atlantic Called ‘Dolly?’ It’s Not What You Think
The name was actually picked more than 30 years ago.
A tropical storm forming in the Atlantic Ocean has caught attention for its curious name, "Dolly," just days after country legend Dolly Parton passed away. However, the coincidence is purely coincidental, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The WMO named the storm Dolly following a predetermined six-year cycle of storm names, which are arranged in alphabetical order and alternate between male and female names.
The latest storm was already destined to be called Dolly when it formed. It's not expected to escalate into a major storm, but the National Hurricane Center mentioned the coincidence in case it piqued public interest. The name Dolly was chosen 30 years ago by the WMO and first used in 1996. It has been used previously for storms like a Category 2 in southeast Texas in 2008, another in 2020, and the first in 1996, replacing "Diana."
While Parton had storms named after her during her lifetime, they were unrelated to the current tropical storm. The WMO reviews the names annually and may retire any due to severity and significant loss of life or property. The current Tropical Storm Dolly is moving quickly westward toward the Leeward Islands, with heavy rains expected in the Caribbean and potential impacts on the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola.
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