New storm season names revealed
● Aiden will be the first named storm, followed by Bella and then Christoph
Ravi, Lilah, Fleur and Wilson are among the official names that will be given to this season’s forthcoming storms.
The monikers are among a list of 21 that will be used in alphabetical order to identify storms hitting the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands from this month onwards
The names alternate from male to female.
The first storm to impact the countries will be named Aiden, followed by Bella, then Christoph and Darcy.
They were chosen from suggestions sent in by members of the public and reflect the three nationalities.
Other names include Heulwen, Klaas, Naia, Minne, Evert and Saidhbhín.
As in previous years Q, U, X, Y and Z will not be used, to comply with the international storm-naming conventions.
Other European countries to name impactful storms include France, Spain and Portugal in south-west Europe and Sweden, Norway and Denmark in northern Europe.
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), the national weather forecasting service in the Netherlands, joined the UK’S Met Office and Ireland’s Met Éireann in the west Europe group for the first time last year.
Will Lang, head of the National Severe Weather Warning S er vice at the Met Office, said :“We are now entering our sixth year of the Name our Storms campaign and we look forward to working closely with our colleagues in Ireland and the Netherlands once again, continuing to raise awareness of the potential impacts of severe weather in order to keep people across our nations safe.
“The impacts from storms Ciara and Dennis earlier this year are still fresh in many people’s minds, and although it’s too early to anticipate what weather this autumn and winter will bring we are prepared with a new list of names to help raise awareness of severe weather before it hits.”
Met Éireann head of fore - casting Evelyn Cusack said: “This summer has closed with storms Ellen and Francis bringing wet and windy weather to our shores.
“As we begin the new storm season for 2020 -21, Met Éire - ann forecasters look forward to working in close co - operation with our colleagues in the UK and Netherlands by continuing to provide a clear and consistent message to the public, encouraging people to take action to prevent harm to themselves or to their property at times of severe weather.”