You may have seen recent news about a developing “Super El Niño”. El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern that occurs when parts of the tropical Pacific Ocean become significantly warmer than average. Although it develops thousands of miles away, it can influence weather patterns around the world for several months.
The term “Super El Niño” is commonly used when an El Niño event becomes exceptionally strong. While it starts thousands of miles away in the Pacific Ocean, it can affect rainfall, temperatures and storm tracks in many countries, including the UK. Scientists are monitoring the current event as it has now hit the highest temperature ever recorded for an El Niño event, several months before it is expected to peak.
For the UK, El Niño does not determine day-to-day weather, and it is only one of many factors that influence our climate. However, research shows that strong El Niño events can influence the position of weather systems across the Atlantic, increasing the likelihood of milder and wetter conditions across parts of northern Europe during autumn and winter.
While El Niño can influence weather patterns, its effects in the UK are not predictable far in advance and can vary from one event to another. As with any period of potentially changeable weather, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on local weather forecasts and any advice issued by the Met Office or Environment Agency.
One of the duties of the Lead Local Flood Authority at Cambridgeshire County Council is to prepare a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy. That strategy is required to explain the risk of flooding from local sources and set out the ways in which that risk is managed. The existing strategy is available to view on our website, spanning 2021 to 2027 and is shortly due for update. Whilst formal consultation will take place in the future, if you have any ideas or things you would like us to consider as part of the update, please let us know by contacting the team (floodandwater@cambridgeshire.gov.uk).
