Tropical Storm Dolly set to form days after country legend’s death
Dolly has been on the Atlantic storm name list since 1996
Author of the article
enette Wilford
Published Aug 26, 2026 • Last updated 16 hours ago • 2 minute read
Dolly Parton performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Plaza on May 13, 2014 in New York City.
Dolly Parton performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Plaza on May 13, 2014 in New York City. Photo by Rob Kim /Getty Images
The next tropical storm that develops in the Atlantic this hurricane season will be named Dolly.
Given the timing, it may seem connected to the death of country music icon Dolly Parton on Tuesday, however storm systems are named by procedures set by the World Meteorological Organization, and the lists of names are recycled every six years.
For the Atlantic region, the storm systems’ names come alphabetically and alternate male and female names.
So far this season, there have been three tropical systems in the Atlantic basin: Arthur, Bertha and Cristobal, meaning “D” is up next.
The name was designated years ago as the fourth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season.
That storm just happens to be arriving — based on current conditions and typical climatology — days after Parton’s death.
But it’s purely a coincidence.
System off the west coast of Africa
The National Hurricane Center, per Naples Daily News, said on Tuesday that a system in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, off the west coast of Africa, has a 70% chance of developing into a tropical system within the next 48 hours, making it likely to become Tropical Storm Dolly.
The second potential storm meteorologists were watching was given a 40% chance of formation, which could happen as early as Wednesday night and be named Eduardo.
Dolly has been on the Atlantic storm name list since 1996, replacing Diana after Hurricane Diana devastated areas in Mexico in 1990. (Names get retired when a storm causes history-making destruction.)
It has been used repeatedly over the years, in 2002, 2008, 2014, 2020 and, very likely again, in 2026.
Hurricane Dolly in 2008 is believed to be the strongest of Dolly storms, becoming a Category 2 before moving into southern Texas, killing 22 people and causing more than $1 billion in damage.
The next tropical storm that develops in the Atlantic this hurricane season will be named Dolly. Read on for if it relates to the singer.
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