FILE - American singer, songwriter and actress Dolly Parton, performs with a guitar, 1976. (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)
Dolly Parton’s name has dominated the news on Tuesday and will likely do so in the coming days as the nation mourns the country superstar. However, the name Dolly may return to the headlines very soon. When it does, though, it won’t be as a beloved icon; it will be as a tropical storm, or even a hurricane.
Big picture view:
The next time a system reaches a status where meteorologists give it a name, that name will be Dolly. The fact that the storm will share the same name as the "Jolene" singer has nothing to do with her; it is a coincidence–one that was set in motion years ago.
The backstory:
For each year, meteorologists work down an alphabetical list of names that will be given to tropical storms as they develop. Because there have only been three named storms in the Atlantic so far this year, only names that start with A, B, and C have been used. So, when the next storm that warrants a name develops, it will start with a D. In 2026, that means the storm will be dubbed Dolly.
That it would be Dolly was decided a while back. The list of names meteorologists use for the storms is set years in advance. For example, when the fourth named storm of 2031 forms, it will be Dexter. If there’s a 25th storm that year, it will be Van.
RELATED: Dolly Parton, music icon, dies at 80 following 'brief battle with cancer'
Dig deeper:
The list for naming tropical cyclones comes from the World Meteorological Organization. In its explanation of how names are selected, the WMO specifically noted that "it is important to note that tropical cyclones/hurricanes are named neither after any particular person, nor with any preference in alphabetical sequence."
The organization explained that the names are meant to make it easier for people to understand and remember tropical storms or hurricanes to help facilitate awareness.
RELATED: Dolly Parton to be laid to rest beside late husband Carl Dean in Nashville: Report
The National Weather Service is tracking an area of low pressure near the Cabo Verde Islands that may form into a tropical depression in the next couple days. (NWS)
What's next:
Tropical Storm Dolly could be here sooner rather than later. The National Weather Service is already tracking an area of low pressure in the eastern Atlantic that is producing showers and thunderstorms. In an update Tuesday evening, the NWS predicted that a tropical depression is likely to form within the next two days. Whether it will increase in strength to the point of becoming a tropical storm, at which point it would get a name, is yet to be determined.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from the National Weather Service and World Meteorological Organization. This story was reported from Orlando.