The Met Office, in partnership with Met Éireann and KNMI, has announced the storm names for the 2026/27 season, with Austen, Boelo and Chloe set to be the first named storms of the winter. More than 40,000 public suggestions were submitted, including tributes to loved ones, pets, pioneering meteorologists and Shaun the Sheep.
Public tributes and notable nominations
Among the submissions were tributes to a five-year-old weather enthusiast, a cherished Labrador puppy, and pioneering meteorologists. Chloe, chosen by the Met Office, received over 120 nominations, including one from the mother of a five-year-old who is "fascinated by the weather" but can also "create a storm by herself" when tired. Finn was nominated for a two-year-old boy described as "wild and a force to be reckoned with", while Ivy honoured a nine-month-old Labrador puppy nicknamed "the absolute destructor".
Nicola was suggested for a mother who has "weathered many a storm and only come out stronger", and Theo was inspired by a cat that hid ahead of thunderstorms, prompting its owner to joke about its weather-predicting talent. Shaun made the list following a public vote as part of a joint venture with Aardman, the animation studio behind Wallace and Gromit.
Anniversary and naming criteria
Met Éireann, celebrating its 90th anniversary, chose names honouring key figures from its past, including Austen after Austen Nagle, the inaugural director of the Irish Meteorological Service, and Evelyn after Evelyn Murphy, the first woman to present the weather on RTÉ. KNMI selected names from over 3,000 public submissions, including Boelo, a near-forgotten name from the east Groningen region passed down through the nominator's family.
The Met Office stressed that naming storms serves a vital purpose in helping the public take notice, prepare and stay safe during severe weather. Criteria for inclusion include ease of pronunciation, different meanings across participating countries, links to public figures, and potential contentiousness.
Storm naming history and full list
The three organisations have assigned names to storms since 2015, with the list running from early September to the following August. Over the past year, four names were used, reaching the letter D with Storm Dave on April 1, while the UK also felt the effects of Storms Benjamin, Claudia and Goretti, named by other European meteorological services.
Storms are named when they have the potential to cause medium or high impacts across the UK, Ireland or the Netherlands, with wind the primary concern, though rain and snow are also considered. The full list for 2026/27, with originating countries, is: Austen (Ireland), Boelo (Netherlands), Chloe (UK), Dano (Netherlands), Evelyn (Ireland), Finn (UK), Gwendolyn (Netherlands), Heather (Ireland), Ivy (UK), Jade (Netherlands), Kilian (Ireland), Laoise (Ireland), Miriam (Ireland), Nicola (UK), Olaf (Netherlands), Phelim (Ireland), Ruban (UK), Shaun (UK), Theo (UK), Vesna (Netherlands), and Wende (Netherlands).
