Space Weather
Space weather describes changing environmental conditions in near-Earth space. Magnetic fields, radiation, particles and matter, which have been ejected from the Sun, can interact with the Earth’s upper atmosphere and surrounding magnetic field to produce a variety of effects.
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Aurora forecasts
Northern Hemisphere
Some slight auroral enhancements are possible over the next few days. However, any visibility is expected to be mainly restricted to the highest geomagnetic latitudes, with only a small chance of reaching as far south as northern parts of the UK Thursday night into Friday. Viewing opportunities will also be limited by the short hours of darkness at this time of year.
Southern Hemisphere
Some slight auroral enhancements are possible over the next few days. However, any visibility is expected to be mainly restricted to Antartica, with only a small chance of reaching the southernmost parts of New Zealand Thursday night into Friday.
Issued at: 02:21 (GMT) on Wed 24 Jun 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Chance of M-class flares
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Low activity with Common class flares from a new region moving onto the eastern limb. There are now seven regions on the Earth-facing disc, including this region, which is likely to be the main focus of any activity. However analysis is difficult until this moves into a less oblique viewing angle. The other six regions are generally much smaller and magnetically simpler.
No Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) have been observed in available imagery.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: A weak connection the fast winds from a coronal hole occurred. Solar wind speeds were initially steady at around 340-360 km/s, before rising erratically to be Slightly Elevated at 430-480 km/s from 24/0430 UTC. Total Interplanetary Magnetic Field (Bt) was mainly Moderate with the north-south component variable in direction but also Moderate in strength. Geomagnetic activity was Quiet to Unsettled (Kp1-3).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) has persisted at Background with no Solar Radiation Storms occurring
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Low activity is likely to continue, but with a chance of rising to Moderate due to the potential for isolated M-class flares from the new region moving over the eastern limb.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: There are no Earth-directed CMEs. Current fast wind conditions are expected to persist, before a further enhancement from the next coronal hole, either later day 2 or day 3 (25-26 Jun) with solar wind speeds likely reaching Elevated to Strong levels (550–650 km/s). Geomagnetic activity is expected to remain Quiet to Unsettled initially, before increasing to Unsettled to Active conditions, with a chance of isolated G1 (Minor) storm intervals with the fast onset. Activity then easing day 4 to be Quiet to Unsettled with a chance of isolated Active intervals
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is expected to persist at Background with no Solar Radiation Storms occurring
Issued at: 12:06 (GMT) on Wed 24 Jun 2026
Solar imagery
SDO AIA-193
This channel highlights the outer atmosphere of the Sun - called the corona - as well as hot flare plasma. Hot active regions, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections will appear bright here. The dark areas - called coronal holes - are places where very little radiation is emitted, yet are the main source of solar wind particles.
Issued at:
SDO AIA-304
This channel is especially good at showing areas where cooler dense plumes of plasma (filaments and prominences) are located above the visible surface of the Sun. Many of these features either can't be seen or appear as dark lines in the other channels. The bright areas show places where the plasma has a high density.
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