Storm naming explained as Lilian prepares to strike UK

Travel disruption, flooding, power cuts, and dangerous conditions near coastal areas are all likely when the weather hits, the Met Office said.

Two yellow wind warnings covering northern Wales and northern England, including Cumbria and Northumberland, were already in place on Thursday (August 22) morning.

Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said: “Storm Lillian is an area of low pressure which is going to be drifting towards the UK from the west and bringing some strong winds and some heavy rain in the early hours of Friday and through Friday morning as well.”

Lilian is the latest storm the weather agency has named this year and the first time meteorologists have got as deep as the 12th letter in the alphabet. 

Last year’s storm season, from September 2022 to August 2023, made it as far as only the letter B. 

By contrast, this year’s season has seen storms named in every month up until January: Agnes in September 2023; Babet in October; Ciaran and Debi in November; Elin, Fergus, and Gerrit in December; and Henk, Isha, and Jocelyn in January 2024. Storm Kathleen was in April.

However, that there has already been a Storm Nelson this year has confused some — with the ordering appearing to have gone backwards.

The reason is that the Spanish met service named Nelson and it is therefore not included within the standard A-Z list. 

Here is how it all works.

In the UK, storms are named through a collaboration between the UK Met Office, Met Éireann (the Irish meteorological service), and KNMI (the Dutch meteorological service). This naming process is designed to make the public more aware of severe weather events and to ensure that people take necessary precautions when such storms are forecasted.

Each service has chosen seven names on the alphabetical list (excluding the letters q, u, x, y and z).

Each year, the UK Met Office, in collaboration with Met Éireann and KNMI, releases a list of names for the upcoming storm season. The names are selected alphabetically, alternating between male and female names.

A storm is named when it is expected to have a significant impact, particularly if it is forecasted to bring strong winds, heavy rain, or snow that could cause substantial damage or pose a risk to life.

The decision to name a storm is based on the potential for an Amber or Red warning (high or very high impact) to be issued.

Anyone can suggest a storm name and the Met Office receives thousands of ideas each year. It then meets Met Éireann and KNMI to finalise the choices. Names are chosen based on their popularity and ease of pronunciation across the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

The Met Office receives nominations through social media.

If a storm originates outside the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands and has already been named by another meteorological service (such as the Spanish service), that name is retained.

Lilian is the 12th storm named by the Met Office this year. The next will be Minnie — although it has only a short time to arrive, if at all.

Experts say storms are named to enhance communication and public safety. A specific name makes it easier for people to remember and discuss a storm, reducing confusion, especially when multiple storms are active simultaneously.

This clarity helps in the consistent dissemination of warnings and ensures that media, government agencies, and the public are all referring to the same event.

Additionally, naming storms increases public awareness and urgency, prompting people to take necessary precautions. A named storm tends to receive more media coverage, helping to spread important safety information. Overall, the practice simplifies communication, improves preparedness, and aids in the effective coordination of emergency responses.

The Met Office said the process helps to “provide consistent, authoritative messaging in times of severe weather”.

Met Office head of situational awareness Will Lang, who leads responses in times of severe weather, said in September 2022: “We know from seven years of doing this that naming storms works.

“Recent impactful storms demonstrated our ongoing need to communicate severe weather in a clear way to help the public protect themselves. Naming storms is just one way that we know helps to raise awareness of severe weather and provides clarity for the public when they need it most.”