Journey disruption, flooding, energy cuts, and harmful circumstances close to coastal areas are all possible when the climate hits, the Met Workplace mentioned.
Two yellow wind warnings protecting 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 newest 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.
Coastguard personnel look on in April 2024 as waves crash over the harbour wall and onto the road in St Ives, Cornwall, amid Storm Kathleen
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Against this, 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.
Right here is the way it all works.
How are storms given their names within the UK?
Within the UK, storms are named by way of a collaboration between the UK Met Workplace, Met Éireann (the Irish meteorological service), and KNMI (the Dutch meteorological service). This naming course of is designed to make the general public extra conscious of extreme climate occasions and to make sure that individuals take obligatory precautions when such storms are forecasted.
Every service has chosen seven names on the alphabetical record (excluding the letters q, u, x, y and z).
Every year, the UK Met Workplace, in collaboration with Met Éireann and KNMI, releases a listing of names for the upcoming storm season. The names are chosen alphabetically, alternating between female and male names.
A storm is known as when it’s anticipated to have a big impression, notably whether it is forecasted to deliver robust winds, heavy rain, or snow that might trigger substantial injury or pose a threat to life.
The choice to call a storm is predicated on the potential for an Amber or Purple warning (excessive or very excessive impression) to be issued.
The Met Workplace and Met Éireann launched their first “Title our Storms” marketing campaign in 2015.
Who decides on the title of a storm within the UK?
Anybody can counsel a storm title and the Met Workplace receives 1000’s of concepts every year. It then meets Met Éireann and KNMI to finalise the alternatives.
Names are chosen based mostly on their recognition and ease of pronunciation throughout the UK, Eire, and the Netherlands.
The Met Workplace receives nominations by way of social media.
If a storm originates exterior the UK, Eire, and the Netherlands and has already been named by one other meteorological service (such because the Spanish service), that title is retained.
For 2023-24, the Met Workplace named some storms after distinguished scientists, meteorologists and others “who work to maintain individuals protected in occasions of extreme climate”.
Lilian is the twelfth storm named by the Met Workplace this yr. The following might be Minnie — though it has solely a short while to reach, if in any respect.
Listed here are all of the storm names for 2023/2024:
- Agnes
- Babet
- Ciaran
- Debi
- Elin
- Fergus
- Gerrit
- Henk
- Isha
- Jocelyn
- Kathleen
- Lilian
- Minnie
- Nicholas
- Olga
- Piet
- Regina
- Stuart
- Tamiko
- Vincent
- Walid
Consultants say storms are named to reinforce communication and public security. A selected title makes it simpler for individuals to recollect and focus on a storm, lowering confusion, particularly when a number of storms are lively concurrently.
This readability helps within the constant dissemination of warnings and ensures that media, authorities companies, and the general public are all referring to the identical occasion.
Moreover, naming storms will increase public consciousness and urgency, prompting individuals to take obligatory precautions. A named storm tends to obtain extra media protection, serving to to unfold necessary security data. Total, the apply simplifies communication, improves preparedness, and aids within the efficient coordination of emergency responses.
The Met Workplace mentioned the method helps to “present constant, authoritative messaging in occasions of extreme climate”.
Met Workplace head of situational consciousness Will Lang, who leads responses in occasions of extreme climate, mentioned in September 2022: “We all know from seven years of doing this that naming storms works.
“Current impactful storms demonstrated our ongoing want to speak extreme climate in a transparent approach to assist the general public defend themselves. Naming storms is only one approach that we all know helps to lift consciousness of extreme climate and supplies readability for the general public once they want it most.”
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