Why Will The Next Atlantic Storm Be Named Dolly Despite No Link To Parton?
Next Atlantic storm gets Dolly name, unrelated to Parton’s death.
The next tropical storm to develop in the Atlantic during the current hurricane season will be named Dolly, but the timing is coincidental and unrelated to the death of singer Dolly Parton on Tuesday. Storm names are assigned according to procedures established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with Atlantic naming lists prepared years in advance. The names are reused on a six-year cycle unless a particularly destructive storm leads to a name being retired.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami was monitoring a weather system off the coast of Africa that could develop into a tropical depression and potentially become the next named storm. Forecasters said early Wednesday that conditions were somewhat favourable for an area of thunderstorms south of the Cabo Verde Islands to strengthen during the following week.
If the system develops sufficiently and reaches maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph, or 63 kmph, it would be designated Tropical Storm Dolly. The naming process is not linked to current events or individuals in the news. Instead, storm names are predetermined and assigned in alphabetical order, with male and female names alternating on the Atlantic list.
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Three named storms had already formed in the Atlantic this season before the system being monitored off Africa. Tropical Storm Arthur made landfall along the US Gulf Coast in June, while Tropical Storm Bertha brought heavy rain to Louisiana and Texas in July. Tropical Storm Cristobal subsequently formed in the Atlantic earlier in August before quickly weakening.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast a below-average Atlantic hurricane season, partly because of El Niño conditions. The agency expects between eight and 14 named storms during the season, with three to six potentially reaching hurricane strength. Of those, one to three could intensify into major hurricanes, according to the seasonal forecast.
Storms are given names primarily to make warnings and public communication easier and reduce confusion when multiple weather systems are being monitored. The WMO said names are generally selected because they are short, easy to pronounce and familiar to the regions where they will be used. Names can also be retired when storms cause exceptional destruction or loss of life, as happened with Melissa from the 2025 season after the Category 5 hurricane devastated parts of the Caribbean.
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