Daisy, Cillian and Wouter among Met Éireann's storm names for coming winter 

Storm Eunice- A tree blocks a road near Farmer's Cross, Cork Airport follwing the high winds during Storm Eunice. Picture: Larry Cummins

Met Éireann has announced the new list of names for storms which may hit the country during the 2022-23 season.

The names were compiled by the national forecaster, together with the UK's Met Office and the Dutch national weather forecasting service KNMI.

As in previous years, the names selected were suggested by members of the public, producing an eclectic mix. 

The new list of names are as follows: Antoni, Betty, Cillian, Daisy, Elliot, Fleur, Glen, Hendrika, Íde, Johanna, Khalid, Loes, Mark, Nelly, Owain, Priya, Ruadhán, Sam, Tobias, Val and Wouter.

Storms are named when they could have a 'medium' or 'high' impact in either Britain or Ireland to help provide consistent and authoritative messaging during these potentially dangerous weather events. 

The new storms list for each year generally runs from early September until late August the following year, coinciding with the beginning of autumn.

Other groups in Europe also name storms and the agreed practice is that when any national weather services names a weather system, other services keep that name to provide greater consistency and clarity. 

Evelyn Cusack, head of forecasting division in Met Éireann,  says storm naming is a very important tool for national weather services. 

Ms Cusack said the annual naming of storms on September 1 brings greater awareness, especially during the winter period when a storm is named for its potential orange/ red impacts. 

She said naming storms also creates a greater public "call to action."

"During past storms, the public have responded positively to the advice given by experts and this new list of names will help us to prepare society for extreme weather events which is all the more important in our changing climate," she said, adding that naming storms can help to save "properties and lives".

In February of this year Storm Eunice hit Ireland, seeing thousands of homes and businesses left without power. A Status Red warning was issued on Thursday February 17. The storm was powerful but relatively short, and caused coastal flooding.

Tragically, a 59-year-old county council worker, Billy Kinsella, from Wexford, was killed by a falling tree during the course of the storm.

On Met Éireann’s app you can subscribe to receive push notifications for weather warnings for your chosen county up to three days ahead with advisories issued up to seven days ahead. 

The warnings page on Met Éireann’s website and app also displays weather warnings for Northern Ireland, whenever they are issued by the UK Met Office.