This Year’s Storm List: Austen, Boelo and Chloe
Traveloasisspot.com – The names that will tag the first low-pressure systems of the 2026/27 winter have been confirmed. Austen, Boelo and Chloe top this year’s storm list, a roster jointly published by the UK Met Office, Ireland’s Met Éireann, and the Netherlands’ KNMI. The three labels were chosen from a field of more than 40,000 entries submitted by members of the public, ranging from grandmothers and golden retrievers to a cartoon sheep from a beloved British animation franchise.
Now entering its eleventh cycle, the naming scheme exists to make severe-weather messaging stick. Meteorologists have long observed that a forecast naming a specific storm prompts faster household action than an anonymous pressure-system advisory. When a bulletin reads “Storm Dave: gusts to 90 km/h expected Thursday,” residents are likelier to secure loose objects, inspect guttering, and adjust travel plans than when the same data arrives under a generic technical heading.
Structure and Timing of the Roster
Names are assigned alphabetically from early September through the following August. The letters Q, U, X, Y and Z are excluded so that every label stays short and pronounceable in English, Irish, and Dutch. The seasonal window aligns with the period when North Atlantic frontal zones deepen most frequently and the likelihood of a system meeting naming thresholds rises sharply.
The previous season activated four entries, culminating in Storm Dave in April. British weather was additionally affected by three storms labelled by other European agencies — Benjamin, Claudia and Goretti — a reminder that the basin is shared and no single service controls every designation.
Behind the Names: Children, Pets, and a Sheep
Chloe, the third slot on this year’s storm list, attracted more than 120 submissions. One came from the mother of a five-year-old girl described as being “fascinated by the weather” while also capable of “creating a storm by herself” when overtired. The Met Office drew the name from that cluster of entries.
Other selections carry similarly intimate origins. Finn was put forward for a two-year-old boy his family calls “wild and a force to be reckoned with.” Ivy honours a nine-month-old Labrador puppy nicknamed “the absolute destructor.” Nicola was offered in tribute to a mother who, in the submitter’s phrasing, has “weathered many a storm and only come out stronger.” Theo was inspired by a household cat that bolts to a hiding spot ahead of every thunderstorm, leading its owner to joke that the animal could forecast the weather.
The most surprising entry is Shaun, taken from Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit series. The name entered the roster through a public vote run in partnership with the Bristol-based studio. The collaboration’s stated purpose was to reach audiences unlikely to consult a meteorological bulletin, using familiar storytelling to open conversations about severe-weather readiness.
Heritage Choices by Met Éireann and KNMI
For Met Éireann, the 2026/27 roster doubles as a commemorative act marking the agency’s 90th anniversary. Austen honours Austen Nagle, the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service. Evelyn Murphy, the first woman to present the weather on Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ, is likewise memorialised in the list. These selections anchor the naming tradition to the agency’s century-long role in safeguarding the island of Ireland.
KNMI drew from more than 3,000 Dutch submissions. Its pick, Boelo, is a nearly extinct personal name rooted in the east Groningen region. The nominator explained that the name had been passed down through their family for generations, lending the storm label a quiet genealogical resonance uncommon among other entries.
“For more than a decade, storm naming has helped us communicate the risks from severe weather more effectively. A named storm provides a clear focus for forecasts and warnings, helping more people understand the potential impacts and take action to protect themselves, their families and their property.” — Holly Clements, Head of Warnings and Guidance, Met Office
“We know that naming storms makes it easier for people to track important and up-to-date forecast and safety-related information as we issue updates.” — Eoin Sherlock, Head of Forecasting Division, Met Éireann
FAQ
When will the first named storm of the season arrive? Names are activated only when a system meets operational thresholds set jointly by the Met Office, Met Éireann, and KNMI. Typically the first activation falls in late autumn, though the exact date depends on atmospheric conditions.
Can the public still suggest names for future seasons? Yes. Each cycle opens a public submission window; last year’s intake exceeded 40,000 entries. Submissions may honour people, pets, or cultural figures, provided the name is short and pronounceable in English, Irish, and Dutch.
Why are certain letters skipped? Q, U, X, Y and Z are omitted to keep every label brief and easy to say aloud across the three languages served by the joint scheme.
Does this year’s storm list apply only to the UK? No. The roster covers the North Atlantic basin and is used by all three partner agencies. Storms designated by other European services (such as Benjamin, Claudia, and Goretti last season) can also affect British and Irish weather.
