It’s up to ewe: Shaun the Sheep options for future storm name

The Met Office has invited the public to choose between two favourite characters from the Oscar-winning animation studio behind Wallace & Gromit to be a future storm name.Weather watchers, families and Shaun The Sheep fans will get to vote for which character joins the national weather service’s official storm names list for the 2026/27 season.The collaboration with animation studio Aardman will be decided in a public vote on the Met Office’s social media channels from Wednesday to Friday, asking people to decide between Shaun and his cousin, a lamb called Timmy – with the chosen name included in this year’s list.The winning name will be announced on September 1, though there may not be a storm Shaun or Timmy as they are named alphabetically each storm season and the furthest the Met Office has ever made it through the alphabet is to L, with Storm Lilian in August 2024.“Naming storms helps our weather warnings reach more people and encourages the public to take notice when severe weather is approaching,” said the Met Office’s head of warnings and guidance Holly Clements.“This collaboration with Aardman gives us a fantastic opportunity to engage new audiences and explain why storm naming matters, helping people understand the risks severe weather can bring and the actions they can take to stay safe.”Last year, more than 50,000 suggestions were submitted for the 2025/2026 season, with Stormy McStormFace, Dame Judi Drench and David Blowy among some of the names which did not make the cut.Only 21 were chosen and they were all public suggestions – named after loved ones and pets including Amy, Dave, Stevie and Violet.Nick Park with Shaun the Sheep (PA)PA ArchiveThe Met Office began naming storms in 2015 and works with Ireland’s meteorological service Met Éireann and KNMI, the Dutch national weather service to develop the annual storm names list each year.Amy Pearson, director of brand marketing and PR at Aardman, said: “It’s brilliant to be teaming up with the Met Office to give fans the chance to help choose a future storm name.“Rain or shine, weather is a familiar part of life on Mossy Bottom Farm, making this a fun and meaningful way to connect Shaun and Timmy’s world with an important public message.Read More“Whoever you’re backing, we hope the vote sparks some fun conversations about severe weather and how it can affect all of us.”Aardman, founded by Peter Lord and David Sproxton, had its 50th anniversary this year and film Shaun The Sheep: The Beast Of Mossy Bottom will be released on September 18.