Met Eireann and Met Office post storm names for winter 2019

Brenda, Gerda, Roisin and Ciara could be blowing into Ireland over the next few months.

Announced by Met Éireann and the Met Office, forecasters say the naming of storms helps increase awareness of severe weather in Ireland and the UK.

The practice is used to prompt people to take action to prevent harm to themselves and their property, Dublin Live reports.

First introduced by Met Éireann and the UK Met Office in 2015, the Name our Storms campaign has helped raise awareness of the threat and impact of severe weather in Ireland and Britain before it hits.

The first storm of the 2019 to 2020 season will be named Atiyah, followed by Brendan, Ciara and then Dennis.

Evelyn Cusack, Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann and Chair of the European Storm Naming Group said: "The naming of storms by National Met Services as well as colour coding weather warnings provides a clear, authoritative and consistent message to the public and prompts people to take action to prevent harm to themselves or to their property.

Met Eireann head forecaster Evelyn Cusack on RTE Prime Time (RTE Prime Time)

"We are overwhelmed with the huge response to our public call for storm names and please don’t be too disappointed if your name hasn’t been used as you will get another chance next year."

The names for the next year have once again been compiled using suggestions submitted by the public combined with names proposed to Met Éireann.

As in previous years, Q; U; X; Y and Z are not used to comply with international storm naming conventions.

Storms will be named for weather systems which are likely to see an Amber or Red warning issued by Met Éireann and/or the Met Office’s National Severe Weather Warning Service.

Are we having more storms?

The Met Office says: "Stormy weather is not unusual in the winter and we only need to go back to the winter of 2013-14 to see a similarly stormy winter.

"Overall, the period from mid-December 2013 to mid-February 2014 saw at least 12 major winter storms, and, when considered overall, this was the stormiest period of weather the UK has experienced for at least 20 years.

"We have seen comparable or more severe storms in recent years, including 3 January 2012 and 8 December 2011, each of which caused widespread impacts."

Met Eireann forecaster Evelyn Cusack speaking to media following a meeting of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) at National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) offices,Dublin. (Gareth Chaney Collins)

Here's the full list of storm names for 2019:

A – Atiyah  [pron . A-tee-ah ]                                                                                                     

B – Brendan                                                   

C – Ciara                                

D – Dennis                                         

E – Ellen                                             

F – Francis                 

G – Gerda                              

H – Hugh                    

I –  Iris                        

J – Jan [pron . Yan ]                

K – Kitty                     

L – Liam                                 

M – Maura                  

N – Noah                    

O – Olivia                   

P – Piet                      

R – Róisín      

S – Samir [pron . Sameer ]                              

T – Tara                     

V – Vince                   

W – Willow

What causes thunder and lightning?