UK urges food stockpiling ahead of record El Nino

The UK government has urged Britons to stockpile food and water as a potentially record-strength El Niño develops across the Pacific Ocean, with forecasters warning of wildfires, floods and a wet, stormy winter for much of the country. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle said the country was about to experience probably the largest El Niño ever seen, bringing drier summers, wetter winters and more extreme storms. She advised keeping a store of food to last until emergency services can reach people, describing it as preparation for being a bit more resilient. Data released at the start of September showed the Pacific around 2.6C above the 30-year average, with an average of 14 models forecasting a peak near 4C above average in November. Climate scientists say such a peak would make this the strongest El Niño in 1,000 years. The figures are model-based projections rather than observed outcomes. A Met Office spokesperson said El Niño can influence UK weather through remote atmospheric connections, increasing the likelihood of wetter and stormier conditions across northwest Europe during autumn and early winter, with a later risk of cold snaps.