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.
Space weather notifications
There are currently no active notifications.
Aurora forecasts
Northern Hemisphere
The auroral oval is expected to be largely at Background levels, resulting in only limited opportunities for auroral visibility. Any viewing prospects will be further constrained by the short hours of darkness typical of this time of year.
Southern Hemisphere
The auroral oval is expected to remain close to background levels, resulting in limited auroral activity. Any visible displays are likely to remain confined to the Antarctic continent, with little to no expansion toward lower latitudes.
Issued at: 14:33 (GMT) on Tue 16 Jun 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: No significant activity.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Low with only Common class flares observed. There are six relatively small and simple sunspots on the Earth-facing disc. These are mostly magnetically simple and relatively inactive.
No Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) have been observed.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar wind parameters have been indicative of slow regime, with speeds mostly between 400-450 km/s and decreasing. The magnetic field surrounding Earth was weak, including the important north-south component. However, some slight fluctuations may indicate a weak glancing influence from the CME observed departing the sun on 12 June. Geomagnetic Activity was Quiet.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) was at background with no solar radiation storms observed.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Low or very low solar activity levels are forecast with only a slight chance of rising to Moderate due if an isolated Moderate-class flare occurs.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: No CMEs currently feature in the forecast. Solar wind speeds are expected to remain unremarkable and mostly at Slightly Elevated levels otherwise, with no significant enhancement anticipated. Overall geomagnetic activity is expected to remain mostly Quiet (Kp 0-2) throughout the period, with isolated Unsettled (Kp3) intervals.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is forecast to persist at Background with no solar radiation storms occurring.
Issued at: 11:30 (GMT) on Tue 16 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.
Issued at: