Brits could face another period of weather chaos as scientists warn a looming “Super El Niño” could push temperatures to record-breaking levels.
Forecasters say the climate pattern – caused by rising waters in the Pacific Ocean – has the potential to turbocharge heat across the planet, raising fears of more extreme weather hitting the UK. A Super El Niño occurs when sea-surface temperatures in the central-eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean rise at least 2C above average
The Met Office has warned there is growing confidence El Niño conditions could strengthen significantly, with some experts comparing the developing system to some of the most powerful events ever recorded. And although El Niño starts thousands of miles away, it can still influence Britain’s weather patterns.
View 4 ImagesA map of the 2016 El Niño shows a globe shaded red to indicate unusually high sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern tropical Pacific(Image: NOAA)
A Super El Niño is now expected to form between this month and July. The European Union’s climate monitor has said ocean temperatures are now edging toward record highs as conditions shift toward a potentially powerful El Nino weather pattern.
Samantha Burgess, from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, said sea surface temperatures in recent days were just shy of the all-time highs of 2024. “It’s a matter of days before we are back in record-breaking ocean SSTs (sea surface temperatures) again,” Burgess said.
View 4 ImagesDry weather could lead to possible forest fires in some countries (file image)(Image: Getty Images)
According to the Met Office, strong El Niño events have previously been linked to an increased chance of colder and drier UK winters – while also disrupting global weather systems that can fuel heatwaves and extreme rainfall elsewhere.
Scientists say the biggest issue El Niño brings is the extra heat it releases into the atmosphere on top of human-driven climate change.
Places closest to the unusually warm Pacific can suffer more significant impacts. Countries in the west Pacific, such as Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines, could become drier than normal, leading to possible droughts and forest fires.
Countries in South America, such as Peru and Ecuador, could meanwhile see much wetter weather, leading to devastating floods.
View 4 ImagesEl Niño could spark flooding in some parts of the world (file image)(Image: Getty Images)
The effects of El Niño can be felt much further away, with the climate pattern bringing weaker monsoons to India and flooding winter rainfall in the south-west US.
In the UK, weather conditions can often lag behind the actual event. El Niño could bring higher temperatures throughout the summer period, but Brits may feel the impacts more stongly during the later winter months.
According to climate scientists at the Met Office, El Niño years are “one factor that can increase the risk of colder winters in the UK”.
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View 4 ImagesPlaces closest to the unusually warm Pacific can suffer more significant impacts (file image)(Image: Getty Images)
Last month, the Met Office warned current projections suggest the El Niño could become a strong event, “potentially comparable with some of the most impactful episodes in recent decades”.
“El Niño events often peak towards the end of the year, with maximum influence typically felt between November and February,” the forecaster said. “There is growing confidence that this event could sit at the upper end of the historical range.”