Storm Goretti is sweeping throughout the UK, bringing a mix of highly effective gusts, torrential rain and intervals of snowfall.
Of the list of 21 names, each of the national partners contributed seven, with some names chosen from pubic submissions. The Met Office takes suggestions through an online form.
Here’s what you need to know.
What are the storm names for 2026?
The 2025/26 storm names
Met Office
The 2025/26 storm naming season began in September 2025, although the first named system did not arrive until October, when Storm Amy affected the UK.
Storm Benjamin came next, but it largely impacted France, meaning the name was assigned by Météo-France rather than the Met Office.
In November 2025, Storm Claudia followed, with the name selected by Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET.
The Met Office then returned to its own list in December, naming the next storm Bram.
Storm Goretti, which is currently impacting the UK, was named by Météo-France, the French national meteorological service, because the worst impacts were expected to be felt in France and the surrounding region before it moved towards the UK.
The name itself doesn’t have a specific meteorological meaning, it is derived from a personal name (most famously associated with the Italian Saint Maria Goretti) and was part of the list used by Météo-France for the 2025–26 storm season.
The next UK based storm will be called Chandra.
Why are there no storms named with the letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z?
Only 21 letters in the alphabet are included in the list of storm names as it is challenging to come up with six appropriate names (one for each of the six rotating lists), beginning with Q, U, X, Y, and Z.
You will never see your name on the list of storms in case your title begins with these letters.
How are storm names chosen?
A collaboration between the Met Workplace, Met Éireann (the Irish meteorological service), and KNMI (the Dutch meteorological service) names storms within the UK. This naming course of is designed to make the general public extra conscious of extreme climate occasions and to make sure that folks take needed precautions when such storms are forecasted.
Every service has chosen seven names on the alphabetical checklist (excluding the letters q, u, x, y and z).
Annually, the UK Met Workplace, in collaboration with Met Éireann and KNMI, releases a listing of names for the upcoming storm season. The names are chosen alphabetically, alternating between female and male names.
A storm is called when it’s anticipated to have a major affect, significantly whether it is forecasted to carry sturdy winds, heavy rain, or snow that might trigger substantial injury or pose a danger to life.
The choice to call a storm is predicated on the potential for an amber or crimson warning (excessive or very excessive affect) to be issued.
The Met Workplace and Met Éireann launched their first “Identify our Storms” marketing campaign in 2015. The custom of naming storms started within the US in 1950 to assist folks “interact with climate forecasts”.
Met Éireann in April 2024 named Storm Kathleen after two Irish scientists, Kathleen McNulty and Kathleen Lonsdale.
You possibly can study extra in regards to the storm naming course of here.
Specialists say storms are named to reinforce communication and public security. A selected title makes it simpler for folks to recollect and focus on a storm, decreasing confusion, particularly when a number of storms are lively concurrently.
This readability helps persistently disseminate warnings and ensures that media, authorities businesses, and the general public all discuss with the identical occasion.
Moreover, naming storms will increase public consciousness and urgency, prompting folks to take needed precautions. A named storm tends to obtain extra media protection, serving to to unfold vital security data. Total, the apply simplifies communication, improves preparedness, and aids within the efficient coordination of emergency responses.
Rebekah Hicks, Chief Meteorologist on the UK Met Workplace stated: “Naming storms isn’t nearly giving them a label, it’s about ensuring folks take discover. When a storm has a reputation, it turns into simpler for the media and public to speak about it, share data, and put together.
