Hello Dolly! Tropical Storm Forms in the Central Atlantic

A new tropical storm has formed in the Atlantic, although it won’t be around much longer.

As of 5 p.m. AST, Tropical Storm Dolly was located near 13.7 N, 40.7 W, or about 1425 miles east of the Leeward Islands. With sustained winds of 40 mph, it is a minimal tropical storm. Dolly was moving west at 24 mph with a minimum central pressure of 1007 mb or 29.74 inches of mercury.

Dolly formed from a tropical wave that made its way across the eastern Atlantic this week. While conditions were favorable for it to form into a tropical storm, that chapter of its life is coming to an end. Strong winds will start to rip the storm apart over the next couple of days, with Dolly returning to wave designation before it approaches the Leeward Islands.

That said, Dolly will continue to produce tropical rainfall even as it loses its organization. The system will move toward the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico early next week, bringing strong wind gusts and several inches of rainfall on Sunday and Monday.

Despite the fact that this has been a quiet hurricane season so far, you should not let your guard down. The peak of the hurricane season is mid-September, with September being the most active month. Take the time now to review your storm preparedness list, including having water, food, batteries and blankets ready. Find multiple evacuation routes from your home, in case your preferred one is blocked or traffic-jammed.