Met Éireann, along with the Met Office and KNMI – the national weather services of the UK and Netherlands, have released the new list of storm names for the 2021-22 storm season.

Since 2015 Met Éireann and the Met Office have been working together on the Storm Names partnership to help raise awareness of the potential impacts of severe weather and were joined by KMNI in 2019.

Similar to previous years, each weather service has contributed names reflective of their nation and culture, mainly suggested by members of the public. Irish names that have made it on to this year’s list include Barra (Finbarr), Méabh, Pól and Seán. In a recent public vote Diarmuid was added in along with Duncan, Dudley and Dafydd… and Dudley was the winner, perhaps reflective of the magic of Harry Potter.

“Last winter was relatively quiet with only one storm named by Met Éireann, Storm Aiden at Halloween," Met Éireann’s Head of Forecasting, Evelyn Cusack, said.

"We are now preparing for the autumn and winter months ahead with a new list of storm names for 2021-22 and for whatever weather may come to our shores. Once again Met Éireann will continue to work with our national weather service colleagues in the UK and Netherlands, by continuing to provide a clear and consistent message to the public and encouraging people to take action to prevent harm to themselves or to their properties at times of severe weather.”

A storm is named by a National Met Service (Met Éireann, Met Office in the UK and KNMI in the Netherlands) when orange or red level wind speeds are forecast to impact over a wide land area. Orange or red level gust wind speeds can occur in exposed areas without the event being named. Ireland's Weather Warnings will be issued at www.met.ie/warnings/today and on the Met Éireann App.

She also added that Met Éireann has launched a new audio weather forecast, where people can listen to the latest forecast delivered by a team of Met Éireann forecasters.