THE Met Office is offering Britons the opportunity to help with their search for the next round of names ahead of 'storm season'.

Storm names are most often used to help the media and the public communicate effectively regarding the impacts of severe weather events.

While three prominent forecasters have worked with each other to name storms in the past, people in the UK are now being asked to submit their own suggestions for consideration via the Met Office website.

There is also the opportunity to submit a reason for your suggestion - such as an 'Amy always turning up uninvited', a 'James moving like a whirlwind' or a 'loud and boisterous Charlie'.

Once the names have been submitted, they will be looked at by the Met Office, Irish forecaster Met Éireann and Dutch service KNMI with the most suitable suggestions in line to be selected.

On their website, the Met Office's head of civil contingencies, Will Lang, said: "It's great to go out to the UK public to get some name suggestions.

"It's incredibly important that everyone understands the potential impacts of severe weather and if having the public submit names for our next round of storms helps them engage in the subject, then it's a great way of raising awareness.

"When storms come, we are obviously at the forefront of assessing its impacts on the people of the UK, and communicating that information succinctly is incredibly important during those times.

"That's why storms need names, so people, the media and our meteorologists can better speak about potential impacts when a storm is in the forecast.

"Name our storms is also a great example of international collaboration and we look forward to working further with Met Éireann and KNMI during the next storm season to help keep the public safe."