UK temperatures set to rise as Met Office reveals El Niño could return

UK temperatures set to rise as Met Office reveals El Niño could returnThe Met Office has shared its verdict on whether a 'super El Niño' could hit while weather forecasts look to bring more sun and dry spells to the UKNewsElizabeta Ranxburgaj05:00, 16 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesPeople sat in sun loungers at St James park in London(Image: AFP via Getty Images)Brits are set to see the mercury rise as Summer slowly approaches but the Met Office shared it's verdict on whether we are heading for a 'super El Niño'.‌Last week some parts of the country saw some of the warmest temperatures of the year so far, with 26.6C recorded in Kew Gardens, London. Temperatures dropped over the weekend with sunny weather being replaced with spells of cloud and rain. Despite this, the Met Office forecast shows temperatures could climb up to 18C in the coming days.‌Temperatures could climb to 16C in London on Thursday and even reach 18C in London, Birmingham and Norwich on Friday.‌View 3 ImagesTemperatures could reach 18C in London on FridayREAD MORE: UK weather maps show April snow forecast for days across 15 areas - see full listREAD MORE: UK weather maps show exact time mercury will peak amid 'mini-heatwave'This comes as the Met Office shared its verdict on the possible return of a strong El Niño - which is a natural climate pattern characterized by the warming of sea surface temperatures usually in the central-east equatorial Pacific. Occurring every 3–7 years, it weakens trade winds, sending warm water eastward, which disrupts global weather patterns, often driving up global temperatures, increasing drought in some regions, and causing heavy rain in othersIt forms part of a natural cycle known as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, which alternates between warm (El Niño) and cool (La Niña) phases.‌The Met Office says they can vary in strength and duration, and the gap between episodes is irregular, adding: "Each El Niño is unique, but stronger events te...