UK storms get new names for 2026-2027 season

Do you know that storms get names like people do? The UK Met Office just shared the names for the next storm season. September marks the time when storms start to come more often in the UK. The new list includes names such as Austen, Chloe, and Evelyn.

Why do storms get names? It is simple. Names help people remember storms better. When a storm has a name, it is easier to talk about it. For example, you can say "Storm Chloe was very strong" instead of "the big storm in November was strong." Names make the information clear and easy to share.

The Met Office works with other countries to choose these names. They think about names that are common and easy to say. The names come from different cultures. Some names are more traditional. Others are more modern. Every year, the list is different.

This year's list is interesting because it has many different kinds of names. Some are short. Some are longer. This makes it fun to learn about the seasons ahead. People in the UK look forward to this list every year. It helps them prepare for the weather.

Have you ever lived through a named storm? Did the name help you remember it better? It is interesting to think about how names change the way we see nature. Next time you hear a storm name on the news, you will know why it has one.

Inspired by reporting from BBC News.