The Met Office has launched a public appeal for new storm names, inviting individuals to honour loved ones by submitting suggestions for future severe weather events. The initiative aims to enhance communication and public awareness regarding the impacts of adverse weather conditions.
The weather service emphasises that naming storms is a vital tool for effective public and media engagement during periods of severe weather. The current 2024/25 season has already seen five named storms, with ‘Eowyn’ being the most recent, designated on January 21.
Prospective names undergo a rigorous selection process. Key considerations include the ease of pronunciation, potential for varied meanings across different countries, and any possibility of the name being deemed controversial.
The Met Office will work with Met Eireann in Ireland and Dutch weather service KMNI to compile the list which will reflect the diversity of the three countries.
Will Lang, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “We all remember the impactful storm names of recent years.
“Whether it’s Eunice, Franklin, Bert or another impactful event, the storm-naming system has helped us communicate weather to help people stay safe.
“Now we need the UK public to help us compile this year’s list.
“Whether you want to honour a weather lover in your family, remember a family pet or get a friend’s name in the headlines, we welcome submissions from the public to help us pull together next year’s list of storm names.”
Mr Lang said storms are named because “it works”, adding: “For Storm Eowyn in January, the UK’s most powerful windstorm for over a decade, post-event surveys suggest that 99% of people within the red warning area were aware of the warnings, and 89% of them took action.”
Names are selected for each letter of the alphabet, apart from Q, U, X, Y and Z.
People are being invited to put forward names on the Met Office website, with the option to add a reason for their suggestion.
The shortlist will be announced in September.
Suggestions can be submitted at www.metoffice.gov.uk/forms/name-our-storms-call-for-names.
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