How 'SuperEl Nio' could affect UK as it faces record-breaking heat full list

Steamed up boffins have warned that a Super El Nio event could blast Britain with record-breaking temperatures over the coming months, as the Daily Star revealed this week. The natural weather phenomenon sees heat from the tropical Pacific push up global temperatures and this year could see one of the strongest ever.

The World Meteorological Organisation said there is an 80% chance of it happening before September and a 90% chance of persisting until November.

The experts have observed evidence which suggests it is likely to strengthen as 2026 rumbles on, which will drive much more extreme weather around the whole world.

Several forecasts from national weather agencies suggest it could end up as one of the strongest ever recorded - a possible so-called super El Nio. Here are 10 hot facts about it, including how it could even affect boobies

1. El Nio means The Boy in Spanish and was first coined in 1892 when Peruvian naval captain Camillo Carillo noted that sailors dubbed a warm south flowing current as El Nio, referring to Jesus, as it usually happened around Christmas.

2. Now officially known as El Nio Southern Oscillation it sees changes in winds lead to a sea surface temperature rise in the tropical Pacific Ocean over the course of a year. It occurs several times every decade and includes an opposite phase known as La Nia (The Girl) when temperatures cool.

3. It affects climate patterns around the world, causing some places to be drier and others to be wetter. El Nio can lead to droughts in Australia, wildfires in the Amazon, harvest failures in Africa and flooding in the US (though fewer tornadoes).

4. El Nio has been linked to increasing the risk of mosquito-borne epidemics like malaria and it can hit fish populations, causing birds like Peruvian boobies to migrate to places like Panama where they wouldnt normally be found.

5. Climate change from a Super El Nio is reckoned to have caused the collapse of the ancient Moche civilisation in Peru. A study found civil wars were more likely after an El Nio and one led to poor harvests in Europe in the 18th century which helped trigger the French Revolution.

6. El Nio can give rise to terrible famines. One super event in the 1870s ended up causing food shortages that led to 18 million dead across India and China.

7. The 1982-1983 El Nio event was one of the worst on record causing 10billion worth of damage. This years may push up food prices in the UK.

8. Pity poor Al Nio. In 1997-1998 there was record rainfall in California and when the effect was put down to El Nio, confused folk started bombarding the local with phone calls to complain.

9. Some scientists believe that El Nio events are becoming more frequent and stronger. Its effects are made worse by man-made climate change.

10. This years event is being dubbed the Godzilla El Nio as data suggests it could be very powerful with one US meteorologist saying: I think were going to see weather events that weve never seen in modern history before.

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