BoMshell as BoM says it doesn’t want to be BoM any more – just call us the Bureau

The Bureau of Meteorology has dropped a BoMshell on Australian media by declaring it wants to be called “the Bureau”.

In a move causing a storm of controversy online, the BoM says it should no longer be referred to by its acronym but by its full name in the first instance and the Bureau thereafter.

The bureau – not to be mistaken for the long-running French thriller series, the 80s band, or the US Federal Bureau of Investigation – will adjust its social media handles accordingly.

But after the announcement other Twitter users were quick to snatch up names that included “bureau’ or to point out that others were already taken.

The change seems to be an attempt by the bureau to be taken more seriously.

“With an ever increasing number of severe weather events, it is more crucial than ever that the Bureau of Meteorology’s insights, wisdom, data and information are shared, understood and acted upon,” it said.

“To support this need, the Bureau of Meteorology asks that media outlets update editorial style to ensure references to the organisation are by its full name, the Bureau of Meteorology or the Bureau for short, and not BOM or the Weather Bureau. This aligns with the Meteorology Act 1955 … Please update your style guides accordingly.”

Sign up to Guardian Australia’s Morning Mail

Our Australian morning briefing email breaks down the key national and international stories of the day and why they matter

Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

There is no word yet whether the Australian Bureau of Statistics will challenge the bureau for the title.

See bom.gov.au for any further updates, or visit Australia’s official weather app at BOM.