What is El Niño and how could it affect our weather?

El Niño is a natural weather pattern that begins thousands of miles away from the UK, in the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacific Ocean is between Asia, Australia and the Americas.

Normally, winds push warm water towards Asia and Australia. During El Niño, those winds weaken, allowing the warm water to flow back towards South America. This changes where heat enters the atmosphere and can disrupt weather patterns across the planet.

How El Niño affects weather around the world?

El Nino or climate change: What's causing the world's extreme weather?

El Niño happens roughly every two to seven years and usually lasts for about a year. The event developing in 2026 could be the 'strongest in living memory', according to the Met Office.

Its effects are different from place to place. Some countries may experience droughts and very hot weather, while others face heavier rain and storms. El Niño can also temporarily raise the Earth's average temperature.

In the UK, the effects are less certain. However, El Niño could increase the chance of a wetter, stormier autumn. It may also make cold spells more likely later in winter.

BBC Weather presenter Ben Rich explains how this powerful pattern could change weather across the planet.