The Met Office has published its list of storm names for the 2026/27 season, which includes a tribute to Shaun the Sheep.
Austen, Boelo and Chloe lead the alphabetical roster of 21 names, which were selected from more than 40,000 suggestions put forward by members of the public.
The naming scheme, now in its 12th year, runs from early September through to the end of August, coinciding with the arrival of meteorological autumn when low-pressure systems become more frequent, and the likelihood of severe storms rises.
In keeping with international conventions, the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z are excluded from the list.
The names were compiled alongside Ireland’s Met Éireann and the Dutch meteorological service KNMI.
Many of the chosen names carry touching personal backstories.
Chloe, which received more than 130 nominations, was put forward by the mother of a five-year-old girl who she says is “fascinated by the weather” but can also “create a storm by herself” when she is tired.
Finn honours a two-year-old boy whose family call him “wild and a force to be reckoned with,” while Ivy pays tribute to a nine-month-old Labrador affectionately dubbed “the absolute destructor.”
One of the most eye-catching additions is Shaun, selected through a public vote organised as part of a partnership with Aardman, the Bristol-based animation studio behind Wallace and Gromit.
The collaboration was designed to engage fresh audiences and spark wider discussion about preparing for severe weather.
Met Éireann used the occasion to celebrate its 90th anniversary by selecting names that honour significant figures from its past.
Austen pays homage to Austen Nagle, the inaugural director of the Irish Meteorological Service, while Evelyn recognises Evelyn Murphy, the first woman to present the weather on RTÉ.
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The Dutch meteorological service KNMI drew its contributions from over 3,000 public nominations.
Among them is Boelo, a rare name from the east Groningen region that has been passed through the nominator’s family across multiple generations.
Nicola was also included as a tribute to a mother described as having “weathered many a storm and only come out stronger,” and Theo was inspired by a cat whose habit of hiding before thunderstorms led its owner to believe it possessed forecasting abilities.
Holly Clements, the Met Office’s head of warnings and guidance, said: “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.”
Eoin Sherlock, Met Éireann’s head of forecasting division, said: “We know that naming storms makes it easier for people to track important and up-to-date forecast and safety-related information.”
Post-event surveys following Storm Goretti in January 2026 found that 93 per cent of people within the amber warning area were aware of the warnings, with 88 per cent taking protective action.
During the 2025/26 season, four storms were named by the western Europe group, the last being Storm Dave on April 1.
The UK also felt the effects of three storms designated by other European groups: Benjamin, Claudia and Goretti.
The complete list for 2026/27 is: Austen, Boelo, Chloe, Dano, Evelyn, Finn, Gwendolyn, Heather, Ivy, Jade, Kilian, Laoise, Miriam, Nicola, Olaf, Phelim, Ruban, Shaun, Theo, Vesna and Wende.
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