The Met Office has unveiled the list of storm names for the 2024-2025 season, continuing a tradition that began in 2015. This year’s list commemorates the Met Office’s 170th anniversary by featuring names of influential figures from its history.
Notable names include Group Captain James Stagg, the meteorologist who provided crucial weather advice for the D-Day landings, honored with Storm James. Storm Lewis pays tribute to Lewis Fry Richardson, a pioneer in mathematical weather forecasting techniques. Additionally, Storm Mavis is named after Mavis Hinds, who advanced the use of computers in UK meteorology.
Will Lang, Head of Situational Awareness at the Met Office, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to honor these key figures in weather science. He remarked, “It’s great to be able to honor those who have had an impact on our long history of pioneering weather and climate science services.”
Storm Lilian, the 12th of last season, brought 70mph winds and festival disruptions.Storms are given names when they are expected to trigger either amber or red weather warnings. Amber warnings indicate a higher chance of disruption due to severe weather, while red warnings signal extreme conditions.
Naming storms helps facilitate clear communication about severe weather events. The UK collaborates with Met Éireann, the Irish weather service, and KNMI, the Dutch meteorological agency, in the naming process.
The previous season saw Storm Lilian as the 12th storm, reaching further into the alphabet than ever before. Storm Lilian brought winds of up to 70 mph to northern England and parts of Wales, causing significant disruptions, including grounded flights and power outages. Major festivals such as Leeds and Creamfields were notably affected by the storm’s impact.
For the upcoming season, the full list of storm names includes Ashley, Bert, Conall, Darragh, Eowyn, Floris, Gerben, Hugo, Izzy, James, Kayleigh, Lewis, Mavis, Naoise, Otje, Poppy, Rafi, Sayuri, Tilly, Vivienne, and Wren.