Journey disruption, flooding, energy cuts and harmful circumstances close to coastal areas are all probably when the weather hits, the Met Office mentioned.
Two yellow wind warnings masking northern Wales and northern England, together with Cumbria and Northumberland, have been already in place on Thursday (August 22) morning.
Met Workplace spokesman Stephen Dixon mentioned: “Storm Lillian is an space of low stress which goes to be drifting in the direction of the UK from the west and bringing some robust winds and a few heavy rain within the early hours of Friday and thru Friday morning as nicely.”
Lilian is the most recent storm the climate company has named this yr and the primary time meteorologists have gotten as deep because the twelfth letter within the alphabet.
Final yr’s storm season, from September 2022 to August 2023, made it so far as solely the letter B.
In contrast, this yr’s season has seen storms named in each month up till January: Agnes in September 2023; Babet in October; Ciaran and Debi in November; Elin, Fergus and Gerrit in December; and Henk, Isha, and Jocelyn in January 2024. Storm Kathleen was in April.
Nevertheless, that there has already been a Storm Nelson this yr has confused some — with the ordering showing to have gone backwards.
Here is how it all works.
How are storms given their names in the UK?
In the UK, storms are named through a collaboration between the UK Met Office, Met Éireann (the Irish meteorological service), and KNMI (the Dutch meteorological service). This naming process is designed to make the public more aware of severe weather events and to ensure that people take necessary precautions when such storms are forecasted.
Each service has chosen seven names on the alphabetical list (excluding the letters q, u, x, y and z).
Each year, the UK Met Office, in collaboration with Met Éireann and KNMI, releases a list of names for the upcoming storm season. The names are selected alphabetically, alternating between male and female names.
A storm is named when it is expected to have a significant impact, particularly if it is forecasted to bring strong winds, heavy rain, or snow that could cause substantial damage or pose a risk to life.
The decision to name a storm is based on the potential for an Amber or Red warning (high or very high impact) to be issued.
Who decides on the name of a storm in the UK?
Anyone can suggest a storm name and the Met Office receives thousands of ideas each year. It then meets Met Éireann and KNMI to finalise the choices. Names are chosen based on their popularity and ease of pronunciation across the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
The Met Office receives nominations through social media.
If a storm originates outside the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands and has already been named by another meteorological service (such as the Spanish service), that name is retained.
Lilian is the 12th storm named by the Met Office this year. The next will be Minnie — although it has only a short time to arrive, if at all.
- Babet
- Ciaran
- Debi
- Elin
- Fergus
- Gerrit
- Henk
- Isha
- Jocelyn
- Kathleen
- Lilian
- Minnie
- Nicholas
- Olga
- Piet
- Regina
- Stuart
- Tamiko
- Vincent
- Walid
Experts say storms are named to enhance communication and public safety. A specific name makes it easier for people to remember and discuss a storm, reducing confusion, especially when multiple storms are active simultaneously.
This clarity helps in the consistent dissemination of warnings and ensures that media, government agencies, and the public are all referring to the same event.
Additionally, naming storms increases public awareness and urgency, prompting people to take necessary precautions. A named storm tends to receive more media coverage, helping to spread important safety information. Overall, the practice simplifies communication, improves preparedness, and aids in the effective coordination of emergency responses.
The Met Office said the process helps to “provide consistent, authoritative messaging in times of severe weather”.
Met Office head of situational awareness Will Lang, who leads responses in times of severe weather, said in September 2022: “We know from seven years of doing this that naming storms works.
“Recent impactful storms demonstrated our ongoing need to communicate severe weather in a clear way to help the public protect themselves. Naming storms is just one way that we know helps to raise awareness of severe weather and provides clarity for the public when they need it most.”
