The meteorological services of Cyprus, Greece and Israel have announced the 25 names they will give to severe weather systems in the 2026-27 season, running from Argos to Zohar.
The names are of Greek, Cypriot and Israeli origin and will be used in alphabetical order: Argos, Bar, Chavrias, Dorothea, Eitan, Filippa, Glafcos, Hadar, Icarus, Jason, Kedem, Laskarina, Morpheus, Nadia, Odysseus, Persephone, Roxani, Sisyphus, Tamar, Uranus, Vergina, Wasim, Xantheia, Hypnos and Zohar.
The list is not a warning about any approaching storm. It is routine preparation ahead of the new rainy season.
Naming a storm is meant to make dangerous weather easier to recognise, avoid confusion, and help the public and the authorities take action in time.
A system does not have to hit all three countries to get a name. It can be named if it is expected to cause severe impacts in just one of them. Because storms move and often affect several countries, a system keeps its name along its whole path, and authorities in neighbouring countries can use it too.
Cyprus, Greece and Israel in effect make up the Eastern Mediterranean naming group. The three countries lie along much of the path that pressure systems take across the region, which helps them coordinate forecasts and warnings.
The Israel Meteorological Service expects this season to be wetter than average, especially in its first months.
