The 2026–27 European windstorm season is the current and twelfth occurrence of the continent's coordinated of severe weather naming programme. While the official list of names is usually unveiled on or just before 1 September 2026, the season's duration typically spans from the start of September 2026 through to 31 August 2027, apart from the Eastern Mediterranean group, which the season begins on 1 October.
This year represents the eighth season of collaboration within the Western Group, where the Netherlands Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut (KNMI) works alongside the UK's Met Office and Ireland's Met Éireann. To the south-west, the national meteorological agencies of Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium and Luxembourg have united for their tenth year of partnership.
The Mediterranean regions have also entered their sixth year of formal naming. This includes the Eastern Mediterranean group—comprising Greece, Israel, and Cyprus—and the Central Mediterranean group, which includes Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Malta. Furthermore, this is the second year that the Northern Group, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, have joined the initiative.
Background and naming
Naming conventions and criteria
European windstorms lack a single universal definition or naming system, with national meteorological agencies coordinating through regional EUMETNET groups instead. These regional groups name severe weather systems when forecast thresholds trigger high-level warnings to enhance public awareness.
The primary European storm-naming groups and their participating agencies operate as follows: + European Regional Storm Naming Groups and Naming Criteria Region / Group Participating Countries Naming Thresholds Western Group United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands Names storms using a shared, impact-based framework whenever severe wind, rain, or snow triggers an Amber or Red weather warning in the UK, Ireland, or the Netherlands. South-Western Group France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Andorra Assigns names across all six member nations whenever an Orange or Red impact warning is issued, primarily for dangerous wind, rain, or snow. Northern Group Denmark, Norway, Sweden Denmark requires an hourly average wind speed of at least 90 km/h (25 m/s), while Sweden and Norway rely on broader, impact-based extreme weather warnings. Central Mediterranean Group Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, San Marino Issued when an orange or red weather warning is triggered, primarily for high-impact wind, rain, or snow events. Eastern Mediterranean Group Greece, Israel, Cyprus Greece names storms exceeding a fixed 50 km/h (~31 mph) wind threshold with infrastructure risk, while Cyprus and Israel name events based on multi-hazard Orange or Red impact warnings.
2026–2027 storm names
Western group (United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands) Names chosen by the western group are as follows.
South-western group (France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg and Andorra) Names chosen by the south-western group are as follows.
Northern group (Denmark, Norway and Sweden) Unlike other naming groups, the Northern Group maintains a continuous, multi-season list of storm names, continuing sequential assignment from the next available entry following the usage of "Anna".
Central Mediterranean group (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Malta) Names chosen by the central-mediterranean group are as follows.
Eastern Mediterranean group (Greece, Israel and Cyprus) Names chosen by the eastern-mediterranean group are as follows[(https://en.politis.com.cy/news/environment/1034835/beware-of-filippa-glafkos-and-morfeas-east-med-storms-named-for-2026-27-season) Beware of Filippa, Glafkos and Morfeas – East Med Storms Named for 2026-27 Season]
Central/FUB naming group (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) Like the northern group, the Free University of Berlin names storms based on low pressures across the continent and does not use a naming list. The critical criterion for FUB inclusion is that the storm must prompt a widespread orange weather warning or greater across the affected Central, NE, or SE regions of Europe.
Atlantic ex-tropical cyclones Ex-tropical cyclones (subtropical storms, tropical storms, or hurricanes) that directly impacted a European country from the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season or the 2027 Atlantic hurricane season which became a European windstorm and retained its name as assigned by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida.
Season summary
All storms named by European meteorological organisations in their respective forecasting areas, as well as Atlantic hurricanes that transitioned into European windstorms and retained the name assigned by the National Hurricane Center:
Storms
Season effects Summary
The following table lists all the windstorms that have been named by at least one of the European meteorological naming groups, as well as those with names assigned by the Free University of Berlin (FUB). The table includes the storm's duration, peak intensity, and its socio-economic impact across affected countries.
Name Dates active Named by Highest wind gust Lowest pressure Storm Type FUB name Countries affected Fatalities (+missing)
See also Weather of: 2026, 2027 Tropical cyclones in: 2026, 2027 2026-27 North American winter 2026-27 Asian winter List of historical European windstorm names
References