The Met Office, Met Éireann and KNMI released the 2026-27 storm names list on Monday after more than 40,000 public suggestions. The first named storms of this winter will be Austen, Boelo and Chloe.
Holly Clements on Storm Names
Holly Clements, the Met Office head of warnings and guidance, said: “For more than a decade, storm naming has helped us communicate the risks from severe weather more effectively. A named storm provides a clear focus for forecasts and warnings, helping more people understand the potential impacts and take action to protect themselves, their families and their property.”
The system has been in place since 2015 and runs from early September to the following August. Storms are named when they are judged likely to have a medium or high impact in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands, with wind the main factor and rain and snow also taken into account.
Boelo, Chloe and Shaun
Chloe was selected by the Met Office after being put forward more than 120 times. Finn was suggested for a two-year-old boy described by his family as wild and a force to be reckoned with, while Ivy came from a nine-month-old labrador puppy affectionately known as the absolute destructor.
Shaun joined the list after a public vote run as part of a collaboration with Aardman, adding a name better known to many households than to weather watchers. The list also keeps the same practical aim: to give forecasts and warnings a clearer target when severe weather is expected.
Storm Dave on 1 April
In the last year, four names were used from the list, including Storm Dave on 1 April. The UK was also affected by Benjamin, Claudia and Goretti, which were named by other European meteorological services.
For people in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands, the immediate takeaway is simple: the new list is now in place before the season in which named storms become more likely. The next named storm on it has not yet been identified.
