Tropical Storm Dolly forms in the Atlantic, hurricane center says

Key Points:

• Tropical Storm Dolly formed in the Atlantic, located about 1,555 miles east of the Leeward Islands, moving west at 24 mph with sustained winds of 40 mph and tropical-storm-force winds extending 60 miles from its center.
• The storm is expected to approach the Leeward Islands this weekend but is forecast to weaken and degenerate into a tropical wave before arrival, though heavy rain and potential flash flooding may impact the Caribbean from Saturday through Monday.
• The National Hurricane Center clarified that the storm's name "Dolly" is coincidental and unrelated to the recent death of Dolly Parton; the name has been on the rotating list since 1996.
• Dolly is the fourth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and is predicted to have fewer storms than average, with NOAA forecasting 7 to 13 named storms and 2 to 6 hurricanes, possibly with no major hurricanes.
• The peak of hurricane season runs from mid-August to mid-October, and the latest forecasts indicate a below-average storm season compared to the typical 14 named storms and 7 hurricanes annually.