Dolly Parton died, next Atlantic storm could share her name. Here’s why

The next tropical storm to form in the Atlantic could be named Dolly, but the name has no link to singer Dolly Parton, whose death was reported on Tuesday. The naming is part of a long-established system used for Atlantic storms.

The World Meteorological Organisation maintains rotating lists of storm names that are reused every six years. Names for Atlantic storms are arranged alphabetically and alternate between male and female names.

The Atlantic hurricane season has so far produced Tropical Storm Arthur, which made landfall along the US Gulf Coast in June, followed by Bertha, which brought heavy rain to Louisiana and Texas in July. Tropical Storm Cristobal formed in the Atlantic earlier this month but quickly weakened.


The National Hurricane Centre is now tracking a weather system off the west coast of Africa that could develop into the season's next named storm.

The cluster of thunderstorms south of the Cabo Verde Islands has favourable conditions for development and could become a tropical depression within the next week, forecasters said on Tuesday.

If the system strengthens enough to produce maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph (63 kph), it would be designated Tropical Storm Dolly.

Another weather system in the Atlantic, located far northeast of Bermuda, remained disorganised on Tuesday and had little chance of developing further, according to forecasters.

Why would the storm be called Dolly?

Storm names are assigned to make weather warnings easier to communicate and reduce confusion when several systems are active at the same time. The WMO says names are selected to be short, easy to pronounce and familiar to people in the regions affected.

The names are reviewed periodically, with some removed from future lists when storms cause particularly severe destruction or loss of life.

For the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, Melissa was retired after the Category 5 hurricane caused extensive devastation across the Caribbean.

Atlantic hurricane season forecast

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast a below-average Atlantic hurricane season, partly because of El Niño conditions. It expects between eight and 14 named storms, including three to six hurricanes. One to three of those hurricanes could reach major hurricane strength.

So, if the system currently being monitored off Africa strengthens in the coming days, Dolly could become the next name on the Atlantic hurricane list — entirely by coincidence.

(With inputs from AP)