Is a 'Super El Niño' on the way and how will it affect the UK?

Is a 'Super El Niño' on the way and how will it affect the UK?Image source, PAImage caption, El Niño may increase our chances of colder weather next winterBySarah Keith-LucasLead Weather PresenterPublished10 April 202615 CommentsClimate scientists are predicting a change in weather patterns around the globe later this year due to an expected El Niño event.Global temperatures in 2026 and into 2027 could be boosted by around 0.2C if a strong El Niño does develop.Whilst the impacts of El Niño vary significantly in different parts of the world and at different times of year, there are some links to the weather in the UK, including a higher chance of a colder spell during the winter months.An end to the recent temporary global 'cool-off'?El Niño and La Niña are naturally occurring warm and cool phases of a climate pattern in the tropical Pacific known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO cycle.La Niña - the cooler phase of the ENSO cycle - is still weakly present in the Pacific Ocean, and has largely been in charge since December 2024. This has led to a temporary lowering of global temperatures, meaning 2025 was a slightly cooler year than 2024 - the world's hottest year on record. However, things are about to change, as according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), this current La Niña "is close to its end". Climate scientists from the United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are forecasting a "transition from La Niña to ENSO-neutral" conditions in the next month, lasting through until early in the northern hemisphere summer. Then later in the summer - between June to August - there is a 62% chance that El Niño will emerge "and persist through at least the end of 2026". Image source, Australian Bureau of MeteorologyImage caption, The Relative Niño 3.4 Index is an indicator of central tropical Pacific El Niño conditions. BoM cites sustained monthly values above +0....