Met Éireann helps to make storms a household name

Watch out for Clodagh, Desmond, Barney and Gertrude – they could be sweeping through Ireland this winter.

These were some of the names the public suggested for weather events that may affect Ireland and the United Kingdom after Met Éireann and the UK Met Office last month announced a pilot project to name storms.

They received thousands of responses by email, Facebook and Twitter.

The winning names were: Abigail, Barney, Clodagh, Desmond, Eva, Frank, Gertrude, Henry, Imogen, Jake, Katie, Lawrence, Mary, Nigel, Orla, Phil, Rhonda, Steve, Tegan, Vernon and Wendy.

It is hoped that naming storms will help to raise awareness of severe weather and ensure greater safety of the public.

A storm will be named when it is deemed to have the potential to cause a substantial impact in the United Kingdom and/or Ireland.

If a storm is the remnants of a tropical storm or hurricane that has moved across the Atlantic, the already established method of referring to it as, for example “Ex-hurricane X”, will continue.

–(PA)