The National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced Friday that Tropical Storm Dolly has broken apart, transitioning into a tropical wave as it travels toward the Caribbean. The system, which lasted only 24 hours after its initial advisory at 11 a.m. Thursday, was located approximately 1,000 miles east of the Leeward Islands as of the 11 a.m. Friday advisory.
Tropical Storm Dolly Dissipates, Continues Path as Tropical Wave
Current Status and Forecast
Tropical Storm Dolly falls apart; just a tropical wave
Although the system has lost its circulation, it continues to move west at 25 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds currently extend up to 115 miles from the center, though forecasters expect these winds to decrease below tropical-storm force on Saturday. NHCは、予報進路に従えば、この残存システムは土曜の夜から日曜にかけてリーワード諸島に接近する見込みであると発表した。
While the storm has weakened, the system is expected to bring heavy rain to the Leeward Islands from late Saturday into Sunday, followed by the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola from Sunday into Monday. Forecasters warned that this heavy rain may produce flash flooding within areas of higher terrain of the Leeward Islands. These downpours may provide relief to areas experiencing extreme drought, such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Tropical Storm Dolly forms in Atlantic, but won't last
Looking ahead, some computer models suggest the system could redevelop next week near the Bahamas or the Bermuda Triangle as atmospheric conditions potentially become more favorable. However, the NHC noted it is currently too soon to determine if redevelopment will occur, or what the specific track and strength would be.
Environmental Factors and Seasonal Context
Dolly’s dissipation was driven by an increasingly hostile environment, including dry air and wind shear enhanced by the current El Niño. These factors have hindered tropical systems throughout the season. Rob Shackelford, a meteorologist and climate scientist at weather.com, noted that the season has experienced the quietest start in nearly 40 years, with only three previous short-lived tropical storms—Arthur, Bertha, and Cristobal—and no hurricanes reported thus far.
Tropical Storm Dolly tracker
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently updated its seasonal forecast, now expecting between seven and 13 named storms for the 2026 season, which runs from June 1 through November 30. Of those, the agency predicts two to six could become hurricanes, with a possibility that no major hurricanes will occur this year. An average season typically produces 14 named storms and seven hurricanes.
Clarification on Storm Naming
The NHC addressed public inquiries regarding the name “Dolly,” noting that its use is purely coincidental
and unrelated to the death of entertainer Dolly Parton. According to the NHC and National Weather Service, storm names in the North Atlantic Basin are drawn from six pre-determined rotating lists established by the World Meteorological Organization Region IV Hurricane Committee. The name Dolly replaced Diana after the 1990 hurricane season and was first used in 1996.