Hurricane Dolly (1968)

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.

Meteorological history
In late July, a tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa. After tracking west-northwestward and westward, the wave reached the Florida Straits on August 9, where it began interacting with an upper-level low. Early on the following day, the system developed into a tropical depression, while located near Andros Island in the Bahamas. Shortly thereafter formation, the depression made landfall near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The depression quickly reemerged into the Atlantic. Initially, the depression was unable to strengthen and was nearby absorbed by a cold front. After paralleling part of the East Coast of the United States, the depression moved further out to sea. By August 12, the depression finally strengthened into Tropical Storm Dolly. Continuing to intensify, Dolly intensified into a hurricane later that day. Dolly briefly weakened back to a tropical storm on the following day, though it quickly re-strengthened into a hurricane, despite unfavorable conditions. After remaining a minimal hurricane until August 16, the unfavorable conditions prevailed, causing Dolly to rapidly weaken to a tropical depression. By early on August 17, Dolly became extratropical while about 300 mi north of the Azores.

Preparations and Impact
Impact from Hurricane Dolly was minimal, with only rainfall being reported on land, especially in Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Precipitation peaked at 3.89 inches (99 mm) at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida. Although it was mostly limited to the east coast of Florida, isolated areas of rain were reported in the Panhandle and on the west coast. Elsewhere, rainfall from Dolly was also recorded in North and South Carolina, though it did not reach or excess 3 in.