Storm names 2026-27: Austen will be first storm name used

Met Éireann’s selections are Austen, Evelyn, Heather, Kilian, Laoise, Miriam and Phelim.

Austen honours Austen H Nagle, who became the first director of the Irish Meteorological Service when it was established in 1936.

He had previously worked for the British Meteorological Office and remained director in Ireland until 1948, when he took up a senior role with the US Weather Bureau.

Evelyn recognises two pioneering women – Evelyn Murphy and Evelyn Cusack.

Cusack, a former RTÉ weather forecaster, said it marked “a real social change in forecasting”.

‘It’s named after Evelyn Murphy, the first female weather presenter on Irish TV and myself, the first female head of forecasting at Met Éireann’.

“Before that, it was all men. Women were only really allowed into the meteorological office after Ireland joined the EU, along with equality laws.”

“I just hope that Storm Evelyn isn’t a bad storm, it would horrible to see anyone hurt or killed,” she added.