The beginning of September signals the coming autumn and, with it, the start of the annual storm season across northwestern Europe.
Storms are named every year not just to draw a distinction between separate weather events but also to increase awareness of upcoming weather events and facilitate corresponding warnings.
The full list of names for possible storms we may face over the next 12 months is Amy, Bram, Chandra, Dave, Eddie, Fionnuala, Gerard, Hannah, Isla, Janna, Kasia, Lilith, Marty, Nico, Oscar, Patrick, Ruby, Stevie, Tadhg, Violet and Wubbo.
Letters Q, U, X, Y and Z are not included, which is in line with regulations from the US National Hurricane Center naming convention.
READ MORE
Storms Bram, Fionnuala, Gerard, Kasia, Marty, Patrick and Tadhg were chosen by Met Éireann, the national meteorological service.
Every year, Met Éireann invites the public to submit names for a shortlist of storms in the upcoming season. This will contribute to naming a third of the final list of 21 storms.
Met Éireann and the UK Met Office have worked together since 2015 to name common storms every year. They were joined by their Dutch counterpart, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, in 2019.
This international co-operation has led to a colourful combination of names. Last year, traditional Irish names such as Darragh and Éowyn were followed by distinctly Dutch Floris and Gerben and quintessentially English Hugo and Izzy.
Members of the public are also asked to provide reasons why their suggested name should be included in the final list. This year, the Irish public lent cultural, personal and heartwarming anecdotes to their suggestions.
Storm Bram is a nod to the author of the original Dracula novel, Bram Stoker, a Clontarf native “whose world is of the night with the howl of the wolves mirroring the sounds of a storm,” the person who penned the suggestion said.
[ How are storms named and is Ireland seeing more than before?Opens in new window ]
Storm Patrick is an ode to Ireland’s patron saint; however, one member of the public also referenced a family member who “could cook up a storm if needed”.
Storm Kasia, from a name of Polish origin, was suggested and ultimately chosen by Met Éireann “to recognise other nationalities living in Ireland and their heritage that makes Ireland even more versatile”.
Others are more personal. Storm Tadhg is named after a “seven-year-old whirlwind” who, after “being a very sick baby at birth ... is now a strong healthy boy who loves hurling, soccer, dance and music”. He is also excelling in school, the proud grandparent wrote to Met Éireann.
Storm Marty was nominated in memory of “an amazing, hard-working, reliable” grandfather who passed away in July 2013. Storm Fionnuala is someone’s daughter with a “good strong name – what you’d expect from a storm”.
The name Gerard was nominated 35 times by friends and family of one man, according to Met Éireann. “Gerard is on his cancer journey and has a fascination for extreme weather. This would make his day if there was a storm named after him,” one wrote, with another adding that “Gerard is weathering his own storm at the moment”.
