Households are being warned to stock up on six crucial food items this winter amid fears of a bitterly cold, snow-filled season triggered by the El Niño weather phenomenon. Direct Energy advises that, when confronting the threat of snow, households should gather non-perishable snacks and essentials in case you cannot reach your local supermarket or are hit by a power cut.
Polar vortex and El Niño link
A polar vortex could deliver freezing conditions and even snowfall to the UK this winter as the El Niño weather system ushers in a harsher season, climate experts warn. El Niño has been a major factor behind scorching temperatures this year, with the warming of ocean surfaces having a massive ripple effect on worldwide weather patterns, generating much hotter than usual conditions. It is believed to have contributed to the UK's five record-smashing heatwaves this summer.
The intensity of a polar vortex — the zone of frigid air that typically circulates above the North and South poles — is susceptible to interference from jet streams. When disrupted, it can unleash icy air, sparking a cold spell and snow, across the US and Europe. According to USA Today, El Niño can interact with the polar vortex.
Forecaster's caution
The Met Office states that a scorching summer does not guarantee a freezing winter, and that this assumption of direct and consistent cause-and-effect is simply a myth. Nevertheless, the El Niño phenomenon could this year be behind the UK being thrust into a bitter cold spell this coming winter, although it remains far from certain.
In its latest weather blog published this week, the forecaster said: "Through the latter part of the winter, following a peak in El Niño, the stratospheric polar vortex (SPV) can become weaker, leading to an increased chance of Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) events unfurling, increasing the potential for cold weather." It added: "However, significant as El Niño is, it is important to emphasise that it alone does not determine precise weather patterns and other outcomes remain possible."
Six essential items
According to the energy company, households should ensure they have these six crucial items before a snowstorm hits. In its online guidance on preparing for a snowstorm, the company stated: "After heavy snowfall or blizzard conditions, you could find yourself snowed in for days."
It continued: "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."
