Monday, June 22, 2020

Tropical Storm Dolly (2020)

Storm Active: June 22-24

On June 19, a non-tropical low pressure system formed off the southeastern United States. Initially, wind shear in the area was high enough to stifle any development. The system moved steadily northeast over the next few days and became better defined. During the day of the 21st, an area of convection popped up near the center, but was still disorganized. Atmospheric conditions improved some more the next day as the low moved closer to a tongue of warm ocean waters from the Gulf Stream. Later on the 22nd, the disturbance was classified Subtropical Depression Four several hundred miles east of the mid-Atlantic coastline.

The depression moved east-northeastward away from land at a moderate pace over the next day and crossed over the warmest ocean waters to be found at that latitude. As it did so, thunderstorm activity increased near the center and a curved banding feature set up in the northern semicircle, fanning eastward. By the afternoon of June 23, the cyclone had a more concentrated wind field with values in excess of gale force. Thus, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Dolly. Its bout of strengthening was short-lived, however, for on its track lay the much colder waters of the open north Atlantic. Dolly's satellite presentation quickly degraded overnight and the storm weakened to a tropical depression on June 24. Later that morning, it became post-tropical well southeast of Nova Scotia. The remnant low picked up speed toward the northeast until it dissipated a few days later.



This image shows Dolly just after being classified as a tropical storm.



Dolly was a short-lived tropical storm that did not affect any land areas.

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