What was once Tropical Storm Dolly has dissipated its organized tropical cyclone structure and broken down into an unclosed tropical wave, but meteorological authorities are still sounding the alarm that the system’s lingering remnants will bring dangerous downpours and sudden flash flooding to multiple areas of the Leeward Islands over the coming weekend.
In its 11 a.m. Eastern Time update published Friday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) confirmed that the remnants of Dolly are currently positioned approximately 1,000 miles east of the Leeward Islands, tracking westward across the Atlantic at a steady forward speed of 25 miles per hour. Though the decaying system still maintains maximum sustained winds of around 40 miles per hour — the lower threshold for tropical storm classification — forecasters project that wind speeds will drop below tropical storm strength by Saturday as the system continues to break apart.
Following its current trajectory, the wave’s remnants are on track to reach the vicinity of the Leeward Islands between Saturday night and Sunday. During this window, the region will face the primary hazard of intense, sustained rainfall that could trigger destructive flash flooding, with the NHC singling out higher elevation areas as particularly vulnerable to the risk. After the system passes the Leeward Islands, the wet weather is forecast to shift northwestward, reaching the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the island of Hispaniola, which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, throughout Sunday and Monday.
As of Friday’s update, no coastal watches or formal warnings are active across the affected region, but emergency management officials and the NHC have urged all residents and visitors across the Leeward Islands to stay updated on the system’s development and follow guidance from local authorities. The NHC also confirmed that Friday’s 11 a.m. advisory will be the final official public update it issues on Dolly as the system is no longer an organized tropical cyclone.