- The head of the UN weather agency has warned that this year's El Niño could be the strongest recorded in the last four decades.
- The World Meteorological Organization forecasts that tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures will reach record levels between October and December.
- Severe impacts are already being felt globally, including heavy flooding in South America and worsened wildfires in Indonesia .
- Experts warn the phenomenon could increase the likelihood of wetter and stormier conditions across northwest Europe, including the UK.
- The Met Office noted that El Niño could also heighten the risk of UK cold snaps by weakening the polar vortex, though this is dependent on multiple competing factors.
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