MIAMI – The next tropical storm to form in the Atlantic this hurricane season will be named Dolly. Interestingly, this name has no connection to the recent passing of the beloved singer Dolly Parton. The naming of storms is strictly a systematic process established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Storm names are chosen from a predetermined list that is reused every six years. The names alternate between male and female, and they are arranged alphabetically, making it easier for people to remember and communicate about storms.
This hurricane season kicked off with Tropical Storm Arthur, which made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast in June. Following that, Tropical Storm Bertha brought heavy rainfall to Louisiana and Texas in July. More recently, Tropical Storm Cristobal formed and dissipated rapidly in the Atlantic earlier this month.
Currently, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is keeping a close watch on a weather system off the coast of Africa that has the potential to strengthen into a named tropical storm. Forecasters believe that the area of thunderstorms south of the Cabo Verde Islands may develop into a tropical depression in the coming week.
If this system develops further and reaches maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph (63 kph), it will officially be called Tropical Storm Dolly.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be below average due to El Niño conditions. NOAA forecasts that there will be between eight to fourteen named storms, with three to six of those reaching hurricane strength, and one to three potentially becoming major hurricanes.
The NHC and other meteorological agencies use names for storms to facilitate clear communication about them to the public, helping to avoid confusion during severe weather events. The WMO emphasizes that names should be short, easy to pronounce, and familiar to the regions where the storms occur. They regularly review potential names, and some names are retired when storms cause significant damage or loss of life.
For example, the name Melissa was retired from the 2025 season after it became a Category 5 hurricane that caused severe devastation in the Caribbean.
