The Met Office has warned that a weakening polar vortex could push freezing Arctic air towards Britain this winter, with the El Niño phenomenon increasing the risk of a cold snap and heavy snow. In response, households are being advised to stock up on six essential food items in case severe weather cuts them off from local shops or causes power outages.
Polar Vortex and El Niño Raise Snow Risk
Climate experts say a polar vortex could unleash colder conditions and even snowfall across the UK this winter, as El Niño drives a harsher than usual season. This week, the Met Office outlined how a weakening polar vortex could channel a freezing blast of Arctic air down towards the UK and Europe, with snowfall appearing increasingly probable, though not yet confirmed.
El Niño has been a primary driver of scorching temperatures this year, with the warming of the ocean's surface having a significant knock-on effect on global weather patterns, generating much warmer than average conditions. It is believed to have been one of the contributing factors behind the UK's five record-breaking heatwaves this summer.
How the Weather Systems Interact
The intensity of a polar vortex, the mass of cold air which ordinarily circulates over the North and South poles, is susceptible to disruption from jet streams. When disturbed, it can thrust freezing air, triggering a cold snap and snowfall, across the US and Europe.
According to USA Today, El Niño is capable of interacting with the polar vortex. The outlet reports: "The polar vortex above the Arctic is linked to the jet stream. Both can be impacted by El Niño, and bring about changes in our weather patterns," said Darryn Waugh, a professor in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins University. "El Niño drives changes in the high and low-pressure patterns in the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere where weather happens," said Amy Butler, a physicist at NOAA's Chemical Sciences Laboratory.
The Met Office has stated that a hot summer does not guarantee a cold winter, dismissing the idea of a direct and consistent causal link as a myth. Nevertheless, the El Niño phenomenon could this year be responsible for plunging the UK into a cold snap this winter, though this remains far from certain.
Met Office Weather Blog and Household Advice
In its most recent weather blog, published this week, the forecaster stated: "The stratospheric polar vortex is already unusually stretched, with the disturbance associated with so-called 'wave two' activity, when two large atmospheric waves push into it from opposite directions. This wave two activity is considerably stronger than average for the time of year. Forecasts suggest the vortex will subsequently become increasingly displaced from the North Pole."
Direct Energy advises that, when facing the prospect of snow, households should stock up on non-perishable food and supplies in case they are unable to reach their local supermarket, or are hit by a power outage, ensuring they don't go without food while waiting for the severe weather to pass.
The Six Essential Items to Stock
According to the energy company, households should ensure they have these six essential items ahead of a snowstorm: bottled water, bread, milk, tinned goods (especially warming foods like soups and stews), snack foods such as crisps, crackers and cookies in sealed packages, cereal and granola, and dried pasta and jars of sauce.
In its online guidance on preparing for a snowstorm, the firm said: "After heavy snowfall or blizzard conditions, you could find yourself snowed in for days. Getting cut off from your local grocery store could be made worse by a prolonged power outage, which would leave you with just a few hours to enjoy the remaining contents of your fridge safely. But if you stock your pantry with filling shelf-stable foods, you won't go hungry while waiting for the snow to be cleared."
