The Met Office has unveiled a fascinating array of storm names submitted by the public, with standout entries including Elon Gust and Dame Judi Drench. This naming initiative, launched a decade ago in 2015, now draws thousands of creative suggestions annually, though only a select few make the final cut for official use.
Public Engagement in Storm Naming
Since its inception, the opportunity to propose storm names has captured the public's imagination, with over 50,000 suggestions received for the 2025/26 season alone. However, the Met Office typically chooses only about 20 names each year, prioritizing those that serve a critical safety purpose over comedic or whimsical entries.
Humorous and Clever Submissions
Among the many names revealed through a Freedom of Information request are humorous picks such as Stormy McStormFace, Keir Stormer, David Blowy, Storm Prince Andrew, Bruce Spring Storm, Fifty Shades of Rain, and Stormzy. A Met Office spokesperson commented, "Some of the names are really clever and funny and we enjoy seeing them suggested. However, we couldn't ever use comedy names for our storms, because at the heart of it, naming storms has an important safety purpose."
Official Storm Names for 2025/26
The selected names for the current season are Amy, Bram, Chandra, Dave, Eddie, Fionnuala, Gerard, Hannah, Isla, Janna, Kasia, Lilith, Marty, Nico, Oscar, Patrick, Ruby, Stevie, Tadhg, Violet, and Wubbo. Chandra already impacted the UK and Ireland in late January, with Dave next in line. However, as spring approaches, Dave and several other names may not be utilized this season.
Criteria and International Collaboration
Storms are named when they pose a medium (amber alert) or high (red alert) impact on the UK, Ireland, or the Netherlands. The national forecasters of these three countries collaborate to develop the annual list. In southwestern Europe, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg jointly name storms, while Denmark, Sweden, and Norway do the same for the far north, highlighting a coordinated international effort in weather communication.
This system underscores the balance between public engagement and meteorological necessity, ensuring that storm naming remains both accessible and effective for public safety alerts across regions.
