Met Office names 2026-2027 storms

The UK Met Office has announced the official list of storm names for the 2026-2027 season. The names, which begin with Austen, Boelo, and Chloe, were selected from over 40,000 public submissions received in 2025. You can view related weather data on our stats page.

This marks the eleventh year of the storm naming initiative in the UK. The system is a joint effort between the UK's Met Office, Ireland's Met Eireann, and the Netherlands' KNMI.

Why storms are named

Storms are given names when they are forecast to cause medium or high impacts. In the UK, this specifically means a storm is likely to trigger an amber or red weather warning. The decision balances the potential severity of the weather with its probability.

While strong winds are the primary trigger, other effects like heavy rain or snow that could cause flooding or travel chaos are also considered. A single, official naming system helps weather agencies share clear and consistent warnings. This makes it easier for the public to understand the risks and take action to stay safe, much like how clear standings help fans follow a league.

How the names are chosen

The three meteorological agencies jointly select names that reflect their communities. The list for the upcoming season continues to draw on the pool of suggestions submitted by the public in 2025. The choices include popular names and those with personal stories attached.

For instance, Austen honours Austen Nagle, the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service. The name Chloe was nominated more than 130 times. One nomination came from the mother of a five-year-old girl described as fascinated by the weather but who can also create a storm by herself when tired. Ivy was nominated for a nine-month-old Labrador puppy known affectionately as the absolute destructor.

There are specific conventions. Storms that are remnants of tropical systems crossing the Atlantic keep their original name, such as ex-Hurricane Erin. To align with US National Hurricane Centre practices, names beginning with Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used.

The storm naming groups

In Europe, meteorological agencies are organised into five regional storm-naming groups. The UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands form the western group. A storm is named when any one of these agencies forecasts it will cause significant disruption in their respective country.

This means a storm named by Met Eireann for impacts in Ireland, or by KNMI for the Netherlands, may not necessarily bring severe weather to the UK. The naming decision is always based on the forecast impact and likelihood for that specific nation.

The first three names on the alphabetical list for the 2026-2027 season are Austen, Boelo, and Chloe, followed by Dano and Evelyn. For updates on potential disruptions, you can check our fixtures page.