New Storm Names Announced for 2025–26 Season
As September arrives, it doesn’t just mean the return of autumn—it also signals the start of the storm season across the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands. And with a new season comes a brand-new list of storm names, chosen in part by the public. This year’s lineup includes Amy, Bram, Chandra, Dave, and even a storm named Stevie, inspired by the iconic Stevie Nicks and her song Dreams , which famously includes the line, “Thunder only happens when it’s raining.”
So, how are these names decided? Well, the process is surprisingly democratic. More than 50,000 suggestions were submitted to the Met Office, Met Éireann, and the Dutch KNMI. From there, the most popular and meaningful names were shortlisted. Each name is carefully reviewed to make sure it’s easy to pronounce, culturally inclusive, and unlikely to cause confusion across different languages. In fact, some names even come with touching backstories—like “Dave,” nominated by someone in honor of her husband who, in her words, “can snore three times louder than any storm.”
Also Read:- Raducanu Reflects After US Open Loss to Rybakina
- Anger and Division as Australia Faces Anti-Immigration Protests
The tradition of naming storms is still relatively new in the UK. It started back in 2015 with one clear goal: to keep people safe. Giving a storm a recognizable name makes it easier for weather services to communicate urgent warnings, and it helps the public take those alerts seriously. Evidence shows it works—surveys following Storm Floris earlier this summer found that more than 90% of people in the affected areas were aware of the alerts, and most of them took action to prepare.
Storms are named only when they’re expected to bring medium to high impacts, whether that’s from powerful winds, heavy rain, or even disruptive snowfall. And the naming system is organized across Europe to avoid confusion. The UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands make up one naming group, while Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg share another, and the Scandinavian countries form a third. Importantly, if the remnants of a hurricane cross the Atlantic, the original name is kept—so if Hurricane Erin weakens but still impacts Britain, it would become Storm Erin, not something new.
Looking back at last season, six named storms hit the UK. Among them was Storm Eowyn in January, which turned out to be the most powerful windstorm in over a decade, with gusts topping 135 miles per hour. But compared to the previous season, which brought a record 12 named storms, last year was relatively quiet.
As for climate change, scientists say it’s too soon to draw a direct line to more frequent or stronger windstorms, but there’s clear evidence that rising sea levels and warmer temperatures are making storm impacts worse, particularly along coastlines and through heavier rainfall.
So, whether we’ll meet Amy, Bram, or Stevie first remains to be seen. But one thing is certain—when the next storm does arrive, it will have a name that’s been chosen with care, carrying with it a story, a sense of identity, and most importantly, a warning that helps people stay safe.
Read More:
0 Comments