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Tropical Storm Dolly forms in the Atlantic Ocean far from land
Forecasters said Dolly will weaken by Friday as wind shear and dry air limit development, and no coastal watches are in effect.
Tropical Storm Dolly formed Thursday in the Atlantic Ocean far from land, and the National Hurricane Center in Miami began issuing advisories on the system at 11 a.m. ET.
The World Meteorological Organization assigns names to storm systems using pre-established lists rotated every six years to ensure names remain short, familiar, and easy to pronounce across regions.
Dolly is the fourth named storm for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, following Tropical Storm Arthur in June, Tropical Storm Bertha in July, and Tropical Storm Cristobal in August.
Environmental conditions including wind shear and dry air are expected to weaken the storm beginning Friday, while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a below-average season with eight to 14 named storms.
The World Meteorological Organization retires storm names for sensitivity reasons, such as Category 5 Melissa from 2025 that devastated the Caribbean; notably, Dolly's name has no connection to country music icon Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday.