Tropical Storm Dolly forms in Atlantic amid unfavorable conditions
Tropical Storm Dolly developed on Aug. 27 in the Atlantic, but forecasters expect it to weaken quickly due to hostile environmental factors.
A tropical storm named Dolly formed in the Atlantic on Thursday, Aug. 27, according to the National Hurricane Center. At 11 a.m. EDT the system was located about 1,555 miles east of the Leeward Islands, moving westward at 24 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. Meteorologists said the storm is likely to be short-lived because hostile environmental conditions expected to begin on Aug. 28 will inhibit further development. The center warned that, even if Dolly loses tropical characteristics before reaching the Leeward Islands, heavy rainfall could affect the islands late Saturday into Sunday, and also bring flash-flood risks to the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola through Monday.
"It's an astounding coincidence," said retired NOAA meteorologist and Dolly Parton fan Roger Edwards. The naming of the storm is unrelated to the recent death of music icon Dolly Parton; storm names are drawn from a rotating six-year list maintained by the World Meteorological Organization. The name Dolly replaced Diana after the 1990 season and has been used since 1996. AccuWeather experts noted that this season's Atlantic conditions have generally limited tropical storm intensification, and suggested monitoring Dolly if it persists, particularly for potential impacts along the U.S. East Coast.