Tropical Storm Dolly is rapidly moving westward after forming in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, forecasters said. The storm’s current projected path shows it moving west towards the Caribbean, with forecasters warning it could bring heavy rain to Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, on Sunday and Monday. The storm was about 1,145 miles (1,840 kilometers) east of the Leeward Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph), the U.S.
National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said in an advisory issued at 5 a.m. "Dolly is moving quickly toward the west near 24 mph (39 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days," the NHC said. "On the forecast track, this system, or its remnants, should be nearing the Leeward Islands this weekend." Heavy rains from the storm or its remnants could affect the Leeward Islands late Saturday into Sunday, with possible impacts in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, according to the advisory.
"This heavy rain may produce flash flooding, especially in areas of higher terrain of the Leeward Islands," it said. Little change in strength is forecast during the coming days, and Dolly is expected to degenerate into a tropical wave before it reaches the Leeward Islands, the NHC said. Tropical Storms Karina and Lowell formed in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday and are both expected to become hurricanes in the next few days, according to the NHC.
Karina was located about 760 miles (1,225 kilometers) south of the southern tip of Baja California, with maximum sustained winds of around 50 mph (85 kph), according to the latest advisory from the NHC. Lowell was about 1,565 miles (2,520 kilometers) east-southeast of Hilo, located on the northeastern side of the island of Hawaii, with maximum sustained winds of around 45 mph (75 kph). There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect for either of the storms, but forecasters warn Karina it could bring life-threatening surf and rip currents to portions of southwest Mexico and the Baja California Peninsula this weekend.
Tropical Storm Dolly’s name has no connection to country music icon Dolly Parton’s death on Tuesday. Storm systems are named by procedures set by the World Meteorological Organization, and the lists of names are reused every six years. For the Atlantic region, the lists are alphabetical and alternate male and female names.
Dolly was the fourth named storm for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. The season started with Tropical Storm Arthur coming ashore on the U.S. Gulf Coast in June, followed by Tropical Storm Bertha, which came ashore in Louisiana and Texas in July.
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