UK storm names for 2024/25 as Storm Conall brings two weeks’ worth of rain

Storm Conall has landed in the UK overnight with heavy rain as some areas in London and southeastern England will see two weeks’ worth of rainfall.

Storm Conall is the third storm to hit this season after devastating Storm Bert brought snow, ice, heavy rain and flooding.

The latest storm – named by the Dutch Met Service – is set to bring up to 40mm of rain in some areas while the Isle of Wight, Sussex and Kent could see as much as 50mm.

The storm is forecast to move east past the UK into the southern North Sea towards the Netherlands.

Storm Conall comes just hours after Storm Bert which was the second name in the Met Office’s 2024/25 storm list – released in August – after Ashley, this season’s first storm, wreaked havoc in October.

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The list – first launched in 2015 – generally runs from early September until late August the following year, coinciding with the beginning of autumn

Other names that made this year’s list include James, Lewis, Mavis – allinspired by the Met Office’s 170-year history.

The forecaster said James is named after Group Captain James Stagg, who was the chief meteorologist responsible for advising General Dwight Eisenhower on the weather forecast for the D-Day landings.

Lewis comes from Lewis Fry Richardson, who devised a theory to use maths and physics to make weather forecasts using computers.

Mavis is named after Mavis Hinds, who worked on the earliest Met Office computers.

In the outgoing year, there were twelve named storms in alphabetical order.

It was the first time there were enough to get as far as the letter L, with Storm Lilian, so unless we have a particularly stormy year it’s unlikely we’ll get to see Storm Wren.

The UK Met Office works with the Irish Met Eireann in Ireland and Dutch weather service KNMI to pick the names.

Bert was put forward by KNMI after they asked the public to come up with names at an event.

When the list was launched in August, Will Lang, who leads severe weather responses for the Met Office, said: ‘This year, as we celebrate our 170th birthday, it’s great to be able to honour those who have had an impact on our long history of pioneering weather and climate science services.’

Steve Willington, the Met Office’s chief meteorologist, said much of the yellow weather warning area will see 15-20mm of rain, with 30-40mm in some areas.

He said: ‘There is a lower chance of 50 mm of rain in a few places, more likely for areas such as the Isle of Wight, Sussex and Kent, before rain eases and clears by early afternoon. Given the recent wet weather, some disruption to travel and infrastructure could be possible.

‘Along with the rain, things will turn colder from tomorrow for all, with frost and some freezing fog possible.’

The weather has more in store after Storm Conall passes as Thursday is set to start with cold, frosty and potentially icy conditions – along with a fair bit of sunshine in many areas.

A version of this article was originally published on August 29, 2024

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