Met Office and Partners Release Storm Names for 2026-2027 Season

The UK Met Office, Ireland's Met Éireann, and the Netherlands' KNMI have released the official list of storm names for the 2026-2027 season. The first three storms will be named Austen, Boelo, and Chloe. These names were selected from more than 40,000 public submissions to reflect communities across the three participating nations. The naming process began in 2015 and coincides with the start of meteorological autumn in September, when the likelihood of severe low-pressure systems increases.

The list includes names with diverse inspirations. Austen and Evelyn were chosen by Met Éireann to honor meteorological pioneers, including the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service. Boelo was selected by KNMI as a traditional name from the east Groningen region. Other names were inspired by personal stories, such as Ivy, named after a Labrador puppy, and Chloe, nominated by the mother of a five-year-old weather enthusiast. Additionally, the name Shaun was added following a collaboration with Aardman, the animation studio behind Wallace and Gromit, to engage new audiences in weather preparedness.

Storms are named when they are forecast to cause medium or high impacts, primarily due to strong winds, though heavy rain and snow are also considered. The naming system is intended to provide clear and consistent information to help the public stay safe. Following North Atlantic conventions, the alphabetical list excludes the letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z. In the previous year, the list reached the letter D with Storm Dave on April 1, although the UK was also affected by storms named by other European services, including Benjamin, Claudia, and Goretti.