Defra convenes the Met Office, the Environment Agency, local authorities and industry on Wednesday to assess how ready the country is for this winter. Last winter brought 42% more rain than average; forecasters now expect a wetter than average autumn, driven partly by El Niño.
A University of Chicago study projects extreme heat from this year's super El Niño could kill 451,000 people worldwide between June 2026 and February 2027. Africa's Sahel and Southeast Asia face the heaviest toll, with Nigeria alone projected to lose 31,400 lives.
Now downgraded to Category 4, the storm is not expected to hit Mexico's Pacific coast directly. But heavy rain is forecast for Guerrero state, where roads are already damaged and flooding and mudslides remain a serious risk.
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