From Storm Eunice in February this year to Storm Angus in 2016, a range of devastating storms have ravaged the UK in recent years.
The Met Office names these storms to ‘aid communication’, and to help the public ‘keep themselves, their property and businesses safe.’
Ahead of the record-breaking heatwave this week, scientists from The Physiological Society in London claimed that heat waves should be named in the same way as storms.
However, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has poured cold water on the suggestion, claiming it has ‘no immediate plans’ to name heatwaves.
It claims a naming system ‘may not necessarily translate across to heatwaves’, and that names could ‘create false alarms’.
Record-breaking heat waves hit parts of Europe this week, with temperatures in the UK hitting 40.3C (104.5F), causing the Met Office to put the first ever Red Extreme Heat warning in place.
The Physiological Society claims that naming such heat waves would ‘aid communication’.
Professor Mike Tipton from The Physiological Society said: ‘As part of raising awareness of the threat from heatwaves in the UK, heatwaves should be named in the same way as we name storms.
‘It makes the risk to health clear and that people can’t expect to continue as normal during the heatwave.
‘This will aid the communication of approaching heat waves through the media and government agencies.
‘This is especially helpful for those who don’t have ready access to the internet or weather apps on smartphones.’
In response to these claims, the WMO has posted a statement, explaining why it has ‘no immediate plans’ to start naming heatwaves.
‘What has been established for tropical cyclone events may not necessarily translate easily across to heatwaves,’ it said.
‘Caution should be exercised when comparing or applying lessons or protocols from one hazard type to another, due to the important differences in the physical nature and impacts of storms and heatwaves.’
Currently, there is no agreed international system for defining heatwaves.
On its website, The Met Office says the heatwave threshold is met ‘when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold.’ (DailyMail)