Tropical Storm Dolly Forms in the Atlantic
LOUISIANA - The Atlantic hurricane season has officially added another name to the list.
Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the Atlantic Ocean, becoming the fourth named storm of the 2026 hurricane season. The storm has formed far from the United States, and current forecasts indicate Dolly is expected to remain over open water and weaken as it encounters increasingly hostile conditions.
Here's what you need to know about Tropical Storm Dolly...
Tropical Storm Dolly Forms In The Atlantic
Dolly developed from a tropical disturbance that meteorologists had been watching in the eastern Atlantic.
According to Fox Weather, the system was previously designated Invest 96L, a lable used by forecasters when they want to closely monitor a tropical disturbance and run additional computer models.
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As the system became better organized, it strengthened enough to become Tropical Storm Dolly.
That makes Dolly the fourth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. The season has been relatively quiet compared with some recent years, with El Niño playing an important role in suppressing tropical development.
What Does El Nino Have To Do With Hurricane Season?
El Nino is a climate pattern involving unusually warm ocean temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. It can influence weather patterns thousands of miles away, including conditions over the Atlantic.
Simply put, El Nino is definitely a good ally for Louisiana during Hurricane Season.
From climate.gov -
These impacts are primarily caused by changes in the vertical wind shear, which refers to the change in wind speed and direction between roughly 5,000-35,000 ft. above the ground. Strong vertical wind shear can rip a developing hurricane apart, or even prevent it from forming.
FOX Weather reports that forecast models have given the developing El Nino a 69% chance of becoming the strongest event on record since measurements began in 1950.
Why Dolly Probably Won't Become A Major Hurricane
Dolly may have managed to become a named storm, but the environment ahead isn't exactly friendly.
One of the biggest problems is strong upper-level wind shear.
Think of wind shear as winds blowing at different speeds or directions at different levels of the atmosphere. Strong wind shear can tear apart the thunderstorms that help a tropical system organize and strengthen.
READ MORE: Dolly Parton's Death Comes With A Hurricane Coincidence
At this point, forecasters expect conditions created by El Nino to make it increasingly difficult for Dolly to maintain its strength. FOX Weather reports that the storm's tropical-storm status will probably be short-lived.
For us in Louisiana, that last part is especially important. There is currently no indication that Dolly is headed toward the Gulf Coast or Louisiana.
Read more at foxweather.com.
See Pictures of Dolly Parton, Through the Years
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes