Storm Barra is the latest severe weather event to hit the UK in recent days as further yellow and red weather warnings are issued.

The deep area of low-pressure moving in from the Atlantic on Tuesday, December 7, will bring strong winds, sleet, snow, rain and ice to the UK.

It is the second named storm of the season - following the destruction caused by Storm Arwen in late November.

But how do storms get their names and why has the Met Office chosen Storm Barra?

Here's the logic behind naming storms explained.

Why is it called Storm Barra?

The latest storm has been named as Storm Barra by Met Éireann for the level of impacts expected for the Republic of Ireland.

Storm Barra - the second named storm of the season - is a name selected as part of the Met Office's Name Our Storms collaboration with Irish forecasters Met Éireann and Dutch forecasters KNMI.

The storm name Barra follows Arwen, the alphabetical order on the Met Office's list for the 2021/22 season.

For 2021, the UK public sent in 10,000 storm names to the Met Office - using anything from pet names to favourite books as inspiration.

The storm names for the 2021/22 season have all been selected by the Met Office and partners Met Éireann and KNMI - reflecting some of the more popular choices.

For example, Arwen is a name which is thought to be of Welsh origin and popularised by Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings books.

The names chosen reflect the diversity of the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.

The 2021/22 season runs from September 2021 through to the end of August 2022.

Other names included on the list are Kim, with reasons behind its nomination including a ‘whirlwind’ relative and a self-confessed weather watcher.  

Which names are not allowed for storms?

Names were selected on a range of criteria, including whether it is being used by other storm naming groups, whether there have been significant impacts from previous storms with the same name and if it is a name that has already been used in recent years by the group. 

When are storms named?

Storms will be named by the group when they’re deemed to cause ‘medium’ or ‘high’ impacts in the UK, Ireland or the Netherlands.

In addition to strong winds, impacts from rain and snow will also be considered in the naming process, the Met Office said.

Why do we name storms?

The naming of storms is intended to help the media and public better communicate the impacts of potential severe weather events, helping people to stay safe and protect themselves and their property ahead of inclement weather.

If a storm has already been named by another storm naming group before it impacts the UK, the original name will be used in communications about it.