Shaun the Sheep has joined children, pets, loved ones and pioneers of meteorology on the official list of storm names for the 2026/27 season.
The Met Office, Met Éireann and the Netherlands’ KNMI have revealed the 21 names that will be used for significant storms affecting the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands over the coming season.
More than 40,000 names were submitted by members of the public to the Met Office last year, with many of those selected carrying personal stories.
The first three names on the new list are Austen, Boelo and Chloe, while one of the most recognisable additions is Shaun, chosen following a public vote held as part of a collaboration between the Met Office and Aardman.
Children, pets and family tributes inspire storm names
Chloe was nominated more than 130 times, including by the mother of a five-year-old girl fascinated by weather.
Her mother said Chloe can also “create a storm by herself” when she is tired.
Finn was suggested in honour of a two-year-old boy described by his family as “wild and a force to be reckoned with”.
Ivy takes inspiration from a nine-month-old Labrador puppy affectionately described as “the absolute destructor”.
Meanwhile, Nicola was nominated as a tribute to a mother who has “weathered many a storm and only come out stronger”.
Theo was inspired by a cat which would hide before thunderstorms, leading its owner to joke that the animal could predict the weather.
Shaun the Sheep wins public vote
Shaun joins the list after being selected through a public vote organised through the Met Office’s collaboration with Aardman.
The partnership is intended to help explain why storms are named and encourage more people to understand weather warnings and prepare for potentially dangerous conditions.
Met Office Head of Warnings and Guidance Holly Clements 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.”
Full UK storm name list for 2026/27
The 21 names are: Austen, Boelo, Chloe, Dano, Evelyn, Finn, Gwendolyn, Heather, Ivy, Jade, Kilian, Laoise, Miriam, Nicola, Olaf, Phelim, Ruban, Shaun, Theo, Vesna and Wende.
The storm-naming scheme is now entering its 12th year, having been introduced in 2015 to improve communication about severe weather.
Storms are generally named when they have the potential to cause medium or high impacts, typically when an amber or red weather warning is expected.
Although strong winds remain a major consideration, storms can also be named when significant impacts from heavy rain or snow are anticipated.
The 2025/26 Western Europe season saw four storms named, reaching Storm Dave in April 2026.
