The first tropical cyclone to form inside the Australian region in the upcoming tropical cyclone season will be named Owen, with Sandra and Victoria also on the Bureau of Meteorology's list for the season ahead.

Australia’s tropical cyclone season runs from the start of November to the end of April. In an average season, we usually see around 8–10 systems in Australia's area of responsibility – the region of the Indian and Pacific Oceans monitored by the Bureau of Meteorology.

Why are tropical cyclones given names?

Tropical cyclones are given names to help authorities and media with communication. The Bureau of Meteorology has been naming tropical cyclones since the 1960s and maintains a list of names for tropical cyclones that develop inside Australia's area of responsibility.

Tropical cyclones that form outside the Australian region and then move into it keep their original name to avoid confusion.

The Australian tropical cyclone list runs in alphabetical order and alternates between male and female names.

What tropical cyclone names will be used this season?

The final tropical cyclone named in the Australian region during the 2025–26 season was Narelle. The next name on the list – Owen – will be the first name used in the 2026–27 tropical cyclone season.

Following Owen will be Peta, Riordan and Sandra, while further names on the list include Tim, Victoria and Zane. If more than seven names are used this season, then Alessia, Bruce and Catherine could also be featured.

The image below shows the names that will be given to the next 10 tropical cyclones that form inside Australia’s area of responsibility.

Image: Next 10 names on the Bureau of Meteorology's tropical cyclone naming list for the Australian region. Source: Weatherzone.

If less than 10 tropical cyclones form in the Australian region this season, the unused names will be retained for the following season.

The Bureau can alter the list when a scheduled name matches a prominent person of the time. This happened in 2025 when Anthony was replaced with Alfred to avoid any confusion with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese. The BoM may also permanently retire a name from their list when a tropical cyclone causes significant damage or loss of life.