Monday marks ten years since Storm Abigail became the first officially named UK storm. Abigail lashed north‑west Scotland from 12 to 13 November 2015 with gusts up to 84mph (135km/h). Since then, the Met Office, working with Met Éireann and the Dutch KNMI, has named 70 storms.
Each September the three agencies publish a new A–W list of potential names for the season that runs from autumn to summer; recently some names have also been suggested by the public. The lists follow the US National Hurricane Center convention and omit Q, U, X, Y and Z.
Why name storms?
Before naming began, major storms were often remembered by the day they struck (for example the Burns Day storm, 1990, or St Jude’s Day, 2013). Naming a storm before it arrives is intended as a public‑safety measure: it makes severe weather easier to remember, report and act on. Will Lang, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, says: “Storm naming is more than a label, it’s a public safety tool that makes severe weather easier to remember, talk about and follow.” The strategy appears effective—when Storm Floris hit in August 2025, 93% of people in the amber alert area were aware of the warning.
When and why names are applied
Names are given based on expected impact, using the Met Office’s National Severe Weather Warnings service. Forecasters judge both the likely severity of impacts (damage, disruption) and the probability of those impacts occurring. Names are usually assigned when an amber, or occasionally a red, warning is likely. Although wind strength is the typical trigger, rain and snow are also considered: storms Bert and Darragh (2024) and Babet (October 2023) were notable for heavy rainfall and flooding. Storm Desmond in 2015 produced the highest daily rainfall recorded for a named UK storm (267mm).
Notable storms and how naming has been used
Storm Eunice (February 2022) prompted two rare red warnings and was one of three named storms to affect the UK in a single week (Dudley, Eunice and Franklin); it was the most severe storm to hit England and Wales since 2014 and damaged structures such as the O2 Arena roof. Storm Éowyn (January 2025) was described as the strongest windstorm in over a decade, with red warnings for Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland; it was named three days before impact, and media coverage helped raise public awareness.
Because storms that affect the UK often also impact north‑west Europe, the first naming sometimes occurs elsewhere—Met Éireann may name a storm before the Met Office if Ireland faces the worst effects. Storm Jocelyn (January 2024) is an example of a storm that caused more damage in the Republic of Ireland than in the UK.
How names are chosen
Lists issued each September run from A to W. Names reflect the diversity of the three countries and can come from the public; recent examples include Bram (after Bram Stoker), Dave (a public nomination inspired by a snoring husband) and Ruby (nominated in memory of a grandmother). Because lists start at A, names further down are rarely used: no UK season has exceeded 12 named storms. The busiest season was 2023/24, ending with Storm Lilian; the quietest in the past decade was 2022/23, which only saw Antoni and Betty named.
Ex‑hurricanes and foreign names
Storms named by other agencies keep their names when they reach the UK. Ophelia, an ex‑hurricane named by the US National Hurricane Center, brought gusts up to 90mph when it hit in October 2017. Storm Herminia retained its Spanish name when it crossed the UK in January 2025. Cross‑naming means the sequence on the UK list can skip: Amy was first on the current UK list and Benjamin (named by the French service) followed, so the next UK name became Bram rather than Chandra.
Climate change and named storms
Detecting long‑term changes in windstorm frequency or intensity is difficult because natural variability is large. There is not yet clear evidence of an overall increase or decrease in the number or strength of UK windstorms. However, scientists are more confident that coastal impacts from storm surges and high waves will worsen as sea levels rise. A warmer atmosphere also tends to produce heavier rainfall when storms occur, increasing flood risk.
Overall effect
Over ten years, naming has become an established part of the UK’s severe‑weather communications toolkit. It aims to improve public recall and engagement with warnings, and evidence such as high awareness during recent named storms suggests it helps get people’s attention. Naming does not change the storms themselves, but it has helped systematise warnings and media coverage, contributing to public safety efforts amid the ongoing challenge of variable weather and rising coastal risks.
