The next tropical storm to develop in the Atlantic during the current hurricane season will be named Dolly. This naming has sparked speculation due to the recent death of country music icon Dolly Parton. However, officials emphasize that the timing is a pure coincidence and there is no connection between the storm's name and Parton's passing.
Storm naming procedures are set by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These lists of names are alphabetical, alternate between male and female names, and are reused every six years. The name "Dolly" was chosen approximately 30 years ago, long before Parton's death on Tuesday, August 25. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) confirmed that there are no plans to skip the name if the potential storm forms, and they do not control the naming process.
Forecasters at the Miami-based National Hurricane Center are currently monitoring a weather system off Africa, specifically an area of thunderstorms south of the Cabo Verde Islands. Conditions are considered somewhat favorable for this system to strengthen into a tropical depression within the next week. If it further develops and sustains maximum winds of at least 39 mph (63 kph), it would officially be named Tropical Storm Dolly.
This Atlantic hurricane season has already seen Tropical Storm Arthur make landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast in June, and Tropical Storm Bertha dump rain in Louisiana and Texas in July. Tropical Storm Cristobal formed and dissipated in the Atlantic earlier in August. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted a below-average hurricane season overall due to El Niño, forecasting between eight and 14 named storms, with three to six reaching hurricane strength, and one to three intensifying into major hurricanes. The WMO's naming system is designed to improve communication and avoid confusion in conveying warnings about storms.
