Met Office releases names of storms expected to batter UK
Names of notable meteorologists among choices for names of storms expected to batter UK between this autumn and next summer.
The Met Office has released the list of storm names for the 2024-5 season. The weather and climate service has been naming storms since 2015, publishing a list at the beginning of each autumn. To mark the 170th anniversary of the Met Office, this season’s list features names of notable figures from its history.
Ashley, Bert and Conall will be the first three named storms by the group this season. Naming storms helps to communicate the risks of severe weather. Check out the full list at Met Office website.
Lots of storms expected to batter UK weather
Storms receive names when they are likely to result in either an amber or red warning. Amber warnings are issued when there is an increased likelihood of disruption from severe weather, and red warnings are for the most extreme cases.
Most recently, Storm Lilian marked the 12th storm of the 2023-4 season, and is the furthest into the alphabet meteorologists have reached within a season.
Among the honoured names is Group Capt James Stagg, the meteorologist who advised on the weather forecast for the D-day landings. Storm Lewis is named after Lewis Fry Richardson, the meteorologist who developed modern mathematical techniques of weather forecasting, while Mavis Hinds, who pioneered the use of computers in UK meteorology, has had Storm Mavis named after her.
Wind is the primary consideration for naming a storm, but additional impacts from rain or snow will also be considered in the naming process.
