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Hurricane Dolly Name Coincides With Icon's Passing
26 Aug
Summary
- The next Atlantic storm will be named Dolly, a name chosen decades ago.
- A tropical wave has a 70% chance of becoming a storm named Dolly.
- Dolly Parton's death and the storm name Dolly are an astounding coincidence.
The next named storm in the Atlantic will be 'Dolly,' a name coincidentally chosen decades ago and now slated for use shortly after the passing of music legend Dolly Parton on August 25, 2026. A tropical wave currently being monitored in the Atlantic has a significant 70% probability of developing into a tropical storm or depression, potentially earning the name 'Dolly' by August 27, 2026.
The World Meteorological Organization committee selects storm names from rotating lists, with 'Dolly' having been assigned multiple times before, last in 2020. The name was originally designated in 1996 to replace 'Diana.' This specific storm name has appeared three times during Dolly Parton's lifetime, including in 2008 when Hurricane Dolly made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 storm.
While Dolly Parton herself has not publicly commented on storms bearing her name, she has a history of contributing to disaster relief efforts. In 2024, following devastating flooding in North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee after Hurricane Helene, Parton personally donated $1 million to relief efforts and pledged an additional $1 million from her businesses. Her philanthropic actions, particularly in her native Tennessee, highlight her charitable legacy.
