What's happened
The Met Office, Met Éireann and KNMI have announced the 2026-27 list of named storms. Austen, Boelo, Chloe and 18 others will be used between September 2026 and August 2027 to help communicate risks of severe weather across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- The naming of storms serves a practical safety function, giving forecasts a clear focal point for warnings.
- The list honors figures and moments from member regions, reinforcing local connections to weather events.
- Expect continued public engagement in naming, and potential discussions about gender parity and regional representation in future lists.
Impact: Clear weather communication will likely drive more proactive preparations among the public and local authorities.
Forecast: Storm-tracking and warning systems will remain effective as long as naming continues to be supported by the coordinating agencies.
How we got here
The three meteorological services invite public nominations for storm names each year. Names are chosen to reflect communities, historical figures and public sentiments, with the list running alphabetically and omitting Q, U, X, Y and Z.
Our analysis
BBC Business reports the formal list and rationale; The Guardian highlights public suggestions and collaboration with Aardman; Independent provides fuller context on the 2025-26 season and the 90th anniversary of Met Éireann; The Scotsman lists the names and origins; Met Office and KNMI press materials underpin the naming framework.
Go deeper
- Which names are from each country this year?
- What new names reflect in local communities this season?
More on these topics
-
United Kingdom - Country in Europe
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the northwestern coast of the European mainland.
-
Evelyn Murphy - Former Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
Evelyn Murphy is an American businesswoman and politician who was the 67th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1987 to 1991, being the first woman in the history of the state to hold a constitutional office.
-
Gromit - Comedy series
Wallace & Gromit is a British stop motion comedy franchise created by Nick Park of Aardman Animations. The series consists of four short films and one feature-length film, but has spawned numerous spin-offs and TV adaptations.
-
Shaun the Sheep - British children's animated comedy television series
Shaun the Sheep is a British animated comedy television series created by Nick Park. Produced by Aardman Animations, it is a spin-off of the Wallace & Gromit franchise, focusing on the adventures of Shaun the Sheep, who previously appeared in A Close Shave (1995), as the leader of his flock on a British farm. The series premiered on 5 March 2007 on CBBC in the UK. In 2020, the sixth series, titled Shaun the Sheep: Adventures from Mossy Bottom streamed globally on Netflix. In March 2024, it was announced that a seventh series was in development, which premiered on 24 May 2025. With 190 episodes over 7 series, Shaun the Sheep is one of the longest-running animated series in British and German television. The series inspired the spin-off Timmy Time, a show aimed at younger viewers that follows Timmy, Shaun's younger cousin, while a second spin-off series, titled Let's Go Timmy!, is set to release in 2027.. These 3 series are collectively referred to as the Mossy Bottom franchise. A first feature-length film, Shaun the Sheep Movie, was released in 2015. A short film, Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer's Llamas, was aired in 2015 as a Christmas TV special. A second feature-length film, A Shaun...
-
Met Office - Weather service
The Meteorological Office, abbreviated as the Met Office is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy led by CEO Penelope Endersby, who took on
-
Netherlands - Country in Europe
The Netherlands, informally Holland, is a country primarily located in Western Europe and partly in the Caribbean, forming the largest constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
-
Ireland - Island in Europe
Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel.