| Category 1 hurricane (SSHS) | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 10, 1968 |
| Dissipated | August 17, 1968 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 80 mph (130 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 985 mbar (hPa; 29.09 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Florida, Carolinas |
| Part of the 1968 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Dolly was the fourth named storm and fourth hurricane of the 1968 Atlantic hurricane season. Dolly was one of four tropical cyclones to strike Florida during the 1968 season and one of only two tropical cyclones to form in August 1968. Dolly had developed on August 10 from a tropical wave near Andros Island within the Bahamas. Only six hours thereafter, the newly formed tropical depression made landfall in south Florida, before re-emerging into the Atlantic Ocean near Melbourne, Florida. Intensification was initially slow, due to a frontal boundary attempting to absorb the tropical depression. Rapid strengthening occurred after released from the influence of the frontal system, causing it to strengthen into a tropical storm and hurricane within twelve hours. Several oscillations in intensity occurred, before Hurricane Dolly had weakened to a tropical depression and became extratropical on August 17.
Early in its duration, Dolly dropped light rainfall in three states, resulting in minimal damage since it was only a tropical depression. In addition there no fatalities reported in associated with Hurricane Dolly.
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In late July, a tropical wave had emerged from the coast of western Africa. While the tropical wave was crossing the Atlantic, an upper cold low formed north of Hispaniola, which would late aid the development of the tropical cyclone. The tropical wave traversed the Atlantic Ocean for several days, eventually reaching the Florida Straits on August 9. An anticyclone over the Mid-Atlantic caused warmer weather over south Florida, while the tropical wave was reaching the area, allowing some development to occur.[1]
After a long development stage, Tropical Depression Four finally formed early on August 10, centered near Andros Island in the Bahamas. Shortly thereafter formation, Tropical Depression Four made landfall in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with winds of 30 mph (45 km/h). Briefly crossing the state, Tropical Depression Four reemerged into the Atlantic after about twelve hours inland. Early in its duration, Tropical Depression Four was unable to strengthen, and was nearly absorbed by a cold front offshore the southeastern United States. Beginning to parallel the southeast United States, Tropical Depression Four remained and no further strengthening would occur until reaching open waters of the Atlantic. After remaining in close proximity to land for nearly forty-eight hours, the depression had intensified into Tropical Storm Dolly on August 12, while heading out to sea east of North Carolina. High atmospheric pressures had existed in proximity with the storm for all of the duration to this point, and rapidly drops in pressure occurred on August 12, with the pressure dropping from 1005 mbar to 994 mbar in twelve hours. Drops in pressure also indicated that Tropical Storm Dolly was strengthening, and Dolly had intensified into a category 1 hurricane late August 12. Simultaneously to becoming upgraded, Hurricane Dolly also attained its minimum pressure of 985 mbar (hPa; 29.09 inHg).[1]
The following day, Dolly had been cut off from the tropical air mass, causing the cyclone to weaken back into a tropical storm. Tropical Storm Dolly headed east-northeastward, where it began to re-strengthen almost immediately thereafter. Further strengthening occurred, and on the morning of August 14, Dolly had re-strengthened into a hurricane. Despite unfavorable conditions, Dolly had re-strengthened into a hurricane, mostly likely due from baroclinic processes. After being re-upgraded to a hurricane, Dolly had attained its maximum sustained winds, peaking at 80 mph (130 km/h). Although unfavorable conditions persisted, Dolly would maintain minimal hurricane status until early on August 16. After nearly forty-eight hours as a hurricane for the second time, unfavorable conditions finally prevailed on August 16, and Dolly rapidly weakened from minimal hurricane status to a tropical depression, in roughly six hours. Tropical Depression Dolly continued eastward, persisting for only eighteen more hours, before becoming extratropical 300 miles (483 km) from of the Azores.[1]
As Tropical Depression Four was forming, small craft warnings were issued from Cape Kennedy (modern day Cape Canaveral) to Key West on August 9. The National Hurricane Center warned residence in Florida about possible heavy rainfall from Tropical Depression Four, although only light precipitation was recorded. Other than that, Marine advisories were issued, but no other warning had been posted, since the storm was only a tropical depression while near land.[1]
Impact from Hurricane Dolly was overall minimal, with only rainfall being reported on land. In south Florida, where Tropical Depression Four made landfall, rainfall had peaked at 3.89 inches (99 mm) at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida. Rainfall from Tropical Depression Four in Florida was mainly limited to the east coast, with isolated areas of rain reported in the Panhandle and on the west coast. Elsewhere, rainfall from Dolly was also recorded in North and South Carolina, although the rainfall was reported in numerous location in the two states.[2]