A new storm, Storm Bram, has been named by the authorities and is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain across the UK — including London — on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Although Bram will be more intense in northern and western regions of the country, the effects are likely to reach the capital too: gusty winds up to around 50–60 mph, possibly more in exposed areas, along with squally showers, periods of rain, and unsettled skies.
That means Londoners should prepare for disruption, from potential transport delays and tricky travel conditions, to power‑outages, wet weather on the streets, and the usual hazards brought by strong winter storms.
It’s a good time to double‑check any travel or delivery plans, secure loose items outdoors, and stay alert to weather warnings until Bram passes.
Storm naming season runs from September to the following August each year, with the weather agency selecting storm names ahead of time to be used throughout the year.
So why has this storm been named Bram? Here is how the storm naming process works for the UK.
How are storms given their names?
Since 2015, the Met Office has been naming storms that it considers will have a medium or high impact potential in the UK - as well as its partners in Ireland and the Netherlands.
Met Office head of situational awareness Will Lang said: “This is the tenth year of us naming storms and we do it because it works. Naming storms helps to make communication of severe weather easier and provides clarity when people could be impacted by the weather.”
The storm year begins in September and ends in August - with every named storm forming an alphabetical list (which excludes the letters q, u, x, y and z). The 2023-24 period was historic for reaching the letter L in the list for the first time.
Storms are named when they’re deemed to have the potential to cause ‘medium’ or ‘high’ impacts in the UK, Ireland or the Netherlands.
“Wind is the primary consideration for naming a storm, but additional impacts from rain or snow will also be considered in the naming process,” the Met Office states.
Who decides on the name of a storm?
The Met Office comes up with the names in partnership with its Irish and Dutch equivalents, Met Éireann and KNMI. It means that Dutch and Irish names are in the mix alongside English ones.
Anyone can suggest a storm name, and the Met Office receives thousands of ideas each year. It then meets Met Éireann and KNMI to finalise the choices. The Met Office receives nominations through social media and email.
Eoin Sherlock, head of forecasting division in Met Éireann said: “Our key priority is to help protect life and property from extreme weather and ensure the safety of our communities. Year after year, storm naming proves effective for that. Naming each storm increases the level of public safety and preparedness as people are more likely to remember and respond to warnings when storms are named.”
What about Storm Bram?
In the case of Storm Bram, Met Éireann (Ireland’s meteorological service) selected the name because the storm is expected to affect Ireland and the UK. The naming helps communicate the severity of the storm to the public and makes warnings easier to follow.
2025/2026 storm names
Here’s a list of all the storm names you can expect in the coming season.
- Amy
- Bram
- Chandra
- Dave
- Eddie
- Fionnuala
- Gerard
- Hannah
- Isla
- Janna
- Kasia
- Lilith
- Marty
- Nico
- Oscar
- Patrick
- Ruby
- Stevie
- Tadgh
- Violet
- Wubbo
