- Dolly becomes the fourth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season after tropical storms Arthur, Bertha, and Cristobal.
- In the NHC's 5 a.m. advisory, Dolly was located about 1,145 miles east of the Leeward Islands, moving west at 24 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.
- The forecast track indicates that Dolly or its remnants should be nearing the Leeward Islands this weekend.
- Dolly is forecast to degenerate into a tropical wave before reaching the Leeward Islands.
- Heavy rain from the system could affect the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola from late Saturday into Monday.
- The hurricane season began June 1 and runs through November 30, with the height of the season from mid-August through mid-October.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its seasonal forecast, expecting between seven and 13 named storms this year.
- Already, 2026 was forecast to have lower-than-average storm generation, which has been reduced further with the latest forecasts.
Tropical Storm Dolly is currently about 1,145 miles east of the Leeward Islands, moving west at 24 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Dolly is expected to weaken into a tropical wave before reaching the Caribbean islands.1234567
Despite this weakening, heavy rain is anticipated to affect the Leeward Islands late Saturday into Sunday, with potential impacts extending to the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola from Sunday into Monday. NHC senior hurricane specialist John Cangialosi warned that, “This heavy rain may produce flash flooding, especially in areas of higher terrain.”
Dolly is the fourth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, following storms Arthur, Bertha, and Cristobal. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has updated its seasonal forecast, predicting between seven and 13 named storms this year, with two to six expected to become hurricanes. Notably, the forecast indicates a lower-than-average storm generation for 2026, with a possibility of no major hurricanes occurring this year.8910
The storm's name, coincidentally similar to the recently deceased music icon Dolly Parton, has no relation to the storm's formation. The NHC confirmed that the name Dolly replaced Diana after the 1990 hurricane season and was first used in 1996.
“Dolly is the fourth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic season, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and tropical-storm-force winds extending 115 miles from its center. The NHC warns of flash flooding in higher terrain as heavy rain may lash the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola from late Saturday into Monday.”
Orlando Sentinel
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