Brief
Met Office says unprecedented ‘Godzilla’ El Niño will not bring snow to London this winter
London can expect rain and near‑average temperatures in the coming weeks, while the strongest El Niño of the century peaks later in the year.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The Met Office released its latest forecast for the developing “Godzilla” El Niño, saying the phenomenon will not trigger widespread low‑level snow in London over the next few weeks.
What happened
Rain is expected across much of England from Wednesday, with temperatures close to or slightly below seasonal averages. The office stressed that the imminent weather will not be directly affected by the El Niño, which is forecast to peak toward the end of the year.
What the reports add
According to the Met Office, the current El Niño is the strongest on record since at least 1950 and possibly since the 19th century. A NOAA‑backed research paper links strong El Niño events to a weakened polar vortex, which can allow cold Arctic air to move south later in winter. However, the office noted that El Niño “does not determine individual weather events” and dismissed claims that the UK will be “smashed” by snow.
What was said
Professor Adam Scaife, head of long‑range forecasting at the Met Office, said, “We should be clear that this is an unprecedented event. I have never seen an El Niño signal this intense in our forecasts.” Climate spokesman Grahame Madge added that the event has already surpassed the magnitude of the 2015/16 El Niño and will likely bring wetter, stormier autumn conditions and a higher chance of colder spells late in winter.
How it came about
Earlier this month the Met Office warned of a stormier start to autumn and winter, recalling the 2015‑16 super‑El Niño storms that caused severe flooding and power outages. The current forecast builds on that warning, noting the unprecedented strength of the developing El Niño and its global temperature‑raising influence.
Key facts
- The Met Office expects rain across much of England from Wednesday with near‑average temperatures. (standard.co.uk)
- The developing El Niño is described as the strongest since at least 1950, possibly since the 19th century. (standard.co.uk)
- Met Office officials say the El Niño will not cause widespread low‑level snow in London this winter. (standard.co.uk)
- A NOAA paper links strong El Niño events to a weakened polar vortex that can allow cold air to spill south later in winter. (standard.co.uk)
- Professor Adam Scaife called the event unprecedented and said he has never seen such an intense El Niño signal in forecasts. (standard.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk — originally reported as “How will the Godzilla El Niño impact London's weather? This is what the experts say”
