'Plunging temperatures' and 'wall of rain and snow'? Met Office sets the record straight

The Met Office has poured cold water on claims the UK is about to be "smashed" by snow and "plunging" temperatures.

The forecaster is among many predicting this year's El Nino will be "unprecedented" and will probably increase the chances of wetter, stormier conditions in the UK.

However, in a blog post, it took aim at recent headlines claiming freezing conditions and a "551-mile wall of rain and snow" are about to hit.

Britain's weather is normally less directly affected by El Nino, and the Met Office said recent reporting had been "dramatic".

El Nino is a phenomenon that happens every few years in which there's a warming in sea temperatures, typically in the equatorial Pacific.

It pushes up air temperatures and can lead to more extreme weather in places such as India, East Asia, South America and parts of Africa.

El Nino is expected to peak towards the end of the year - and a "dire warning" of an imminent "polar vortex of snow and storms" are unfounded, according to the Met Office.

It said El Nino "does not determine individual weather events" and the forecast didn't support the claim the UK is about to be "smashed" by widespread snow.

Another headline that predicted snow this week in "12 areas after polar vortex forecast" is also said to be well wide of the mark.

The Met Office said there was no indication of this, and any changes to the polar vortex caused by El Nino would occur at the end of winter.

So no digging out the car or making snow angels in the coming days - but widespread rain in England and Wales is expected on Wednesday.

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Temperatures are also forecast to be average - or slightly below average - mid week. However, the Met Office said predictions of a "plunge" ushering in an "autumn chill" were also an exaggeration.

The cooler feel will quickly subside and Thursday and Friday will be near normal again, while Saturday is set to be "cool in places" with blustery winds, scattered showers and sunny spells.

"This is a recognisably autumnal pattern rather than an exceptional cold spell," said the Met Office.

More from Sky News:
El Nino will be 'exceptional', say forecasters
El Nino raises risk of wetter autumn and flooding across UK

The forecaster also took issue with an overenthusiastic headline stating: "Weather maps turn green and red as UK 'disappears' under 551-mile wall of rain and snow".

Bands of rain are indeed in the short-term forecast, but the Met Office said an "unbroken wall of rain and snow" is not on the cards. The South in particular could get relatively little rain over the weekend.

"The overall message is therefore one of changeable autumn weather. Spells of rain, brisk winds, showers and some chilly intervals, but also drier periods," it added.

"Dramatic nationwide snow and prolonged freezing conditions are not the central themes of the current forecast."

While El Nino normally has a limited effect on UK weather this autumn and winter, the government has admitted the effects are "uncertain" due to the expected magnitude of this year's event.

(c) Sky News 2026: 'Plunging temperatures' and 'wall of rain and snow'? Met Office sets the record straight