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Two Irish women named Evelyn who broke barriers in meteorology are among 21 names selected for the upcoming storm season, which begins this week and runs for a full calendar year.
Two pioneering Irish women in the world of meteorology who share the same first name will be honoured in the list of storms for the 2026/2027 season.
The new storm naming list was announced by Met Éireann in partnership with the UK Met Office and the Dutch weather service KNMI, continuing a collaborative tradition that began in 2015. Each of the three national meteorological agencies contributed seven names to the new list of 21, bringing the total number of names available for the upcoming season.
While no more than the first seven or eight are typically used in an average year, the list provides a comprehensive rotation system that has proven effective in raising public awareness during severe weather events. Officials have noted that naming storms makes it easier for people to track important and up to date forecast and safety-related information, as evidenced by increased traffic and activity through official websites and social media platforms during storm events.
The practice of naming storms has become an essential tool for meteorologists and emergency planners across the British Isles and the Netherlands. Storm Evelyn is the fifth name listed for the forthcoming storm season, which begins on Tuesday and lasts for a full calendar year. The name honours Evelyn Cusack, the first female head of forecasting at Met Éireann and one of the longest-serving forecasters on RTÉ television.
She was a familiar presence on television and radio during weather events for many decades, becoming a trusted voice for Irish audiences seeking reliable weather information. Cusack retired in 2023 after an extraordinary 42 years of service with Met Éireann, leaving behind a remarkable legacy in Irish meteorology.
Another Evelyn is also honoured on the list, paying tribute to a different pioneering woman who joined Met Éireann in television in 1983 and went on to head the marine unit, where she led the creation of the Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network. Together, both Evelyns represent groundbreaking contributions to weather forecasting and marine observation in Ireland. The remaining names on the list also honour notable figures from meteorological history and public contributors.
Storm Austen is named after Austen Nagle, the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service. Despite its Irish-sounding name, Storm Finn was nominated by the UK Met Office after a mother who described her two-year-old son Finn as wild. Storm Kilian commemorates Kilian Rohan, who served as director of the Irish Meteorological Service between 1978 and 1981.
Storm Miriam is named after Miriam Lyons, the first woman to work in Met Éireann as an operational meteorological officer, who was also the first Irish woman to fly in a jet fighter when she was posted to Casement Aerodrome. Met Éireann's own selection features three additional names, Heather, Laoise and Phelim, which were derived from a longlist of nominations proposed through a public campaign held last year.
Last season saw five named storms including Amy, Bram, Claudia, Chandra and Dave, while the most active season on record was 2024/2025 with 14 named storms, and the least active was 2022/2023 with only four
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