Angus to Wilbert: Britain's storms get names for a second year

  • Anglia
The Met Office will continue naming potentially disruptive storms. Credit: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

Following the success of naming winter storms in Britain for the first time last year, the Met Office will continue with new names for 2016/17.

The Met Office and its counterpart in Ireland, Met Éireann, starting naming the storms to help identify weather systems that carried the risk of dangerous or disruptive conditions.

By naming them it was hoped it would help public understanding of the risks and they would be able to follow forecasts more closely.

Over the course of the 2015/16 season 11 storms were named starting with Storm Abigail.

The Met Office said last year's pilot project demonstrated that storm-naming can make a big difference to the communication of severe weather.

Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones in tropical areas of the globe have been named for many years.

Waves break over a coastal road in Scotland, as Storm Gertrude hit the UK in January 2016. Credit: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

The storm names for 2016/17 alternate between male and female names

  • Angus

  • Barbara

  • Conor

  • Doris

  • Ewan

  • Fleur

  • Gabriel

  • Holly

  • Ivor

  • Jacqui

  • Kamil

  • Louise

  • Malcolm

  • Natalie

  • Oisin

  • Penelope

  • Robert

  • Susan

  • Thomas

  • Valerie

  • Wilbert

A surfer falls from his board during Storm Barney in November 2015. Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

The new storm season started on 1 October and will this year include potential impacts from rain or snow as well as the risk from strong winds.

Storms will continue to be named in relation to National Severe Weather Warning Systems of the UK and will be based on the possible impact of a storm rather than a particular threshold.

A storm will be named when it has the potential to cause an amber 'be prepared' or red 'take action' warning.