Met Office Names 2026-27 Storms, Shaun Included

The Met Office, in partnership with Ireland's Met Éireann and the Netherlands' KNMI, has announced the list of 21 storm names for the 2026-27 season, which commenced on September 1, 2026, and will run until August 31, 2027. The initiative aims to enhance public awareness and preparedness for severe weather events across the British Isles and the Netherlands. Among the newly revealed names is "Shaun," inspired by the beloved animated character Shaun the Sheep. This inclusion resulted from a collaboration with Aardman, the British animation studio behind the character, and followed a public vote held between August 19 and August 21, 2026. The partnership is intended to make storm warnings more accessible, particularly for younger audiences and vulnerable communities, by using familiar characters to engage people with critical weather information. The full list of names, which progresses alphabetically and omits Q, U, X, Y, and Z, includes Austen, Boelo, Chloe, Dano, Evelyn, Finn, Gwendolyn, Heather, Ivy, Jade, Kilian, Laoise, Miriam, Nicola, Olaf, Phelim, Ruban, Shaun, Theo, Vesna, and Wende. Many names were submitted by the public, honoring loved ones, pets, and significant figures.