September 21st 2024.
Last week, a storm named Lilian hit the UK with strong winds and sea spray, causing brave children to venture out onto Crosby Beach promenade in Liverpool. But it seems that Lilian was just the beginning, as the Met Office has released the list of potential storm names for the upcoming year. Among the 21 names are Bert, Kayleigh, and Naoise, ready to wreak havoc if chosen for a storm.
The Met Office has been naming storms in the UK since 2015, following the practice that has been in place in the US for much longer. By naming storms, it allows for better communication and tracking of severe weather, helping people to prepare and warn others. This year's list covers the 2024/2025 season, starting in September to coincide with the beginning of autumn.
In the previous year, there were only 12 named storms, going in alphabetical order up to L for Lilian. This year, with the potential for 21 storms, we may not even get to see Storm Wren unless the weather proves to be particularly stormy. The full list of names includes Ashley, Bert, Conall, Darragh, Eowyn, Floris, Gerben, Hugo, Izzy, James, Kayleigh, Lewis, Mavis, Naoise, Otje, Poppy, Rafi, Sayuri, Tilly, Vivienne, and Wren.
While Storm Lilian may have caused chaos, it's worth noting that there were also some beautiful moments during the storm season. Bournemouth Beach in Dorset was a picturesque scene, showing that not all storms bring destruction.
The list of names was released just as the UK was enjoying a sunny end to the summer holidays, with temperatures reaching 28°C in the south east. The UK Met Office collaborates with the Irish Met Eireann and Dutch weather service KNMI to choose the names. This year, the names James, Lewis, and Mavis hold special significance as they honor individuals who have contributed to the Met Office's 170-year history.
Group Captain James Stagg, responsible for advising General Dwight Eisenhower on the weather forecast for the D-Day landings, inspired the name James. Lewis is named after Lewis Fry Richardson, who developed a theory for using computers to make weather forecasts. Mavis is in honor of Mavis Hinds, who worked on the earliest Met Office computers.
But why isn't there a Storm Boris on the list? Well, it turns out that the storm causing chaos in Europe is not named by the UK Met Office. Instead, it was named by Italy's Servizio Meteorologico, who use a different list for storm names. Each group of countries has its own system for naming storms, and since Storm Boris is not expected to impact the UK, it was not given a name by the UK Met Office. Better luck next time, Bert!
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