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
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Aurora forecasts
Northern Hemisphere
No significant space weather activity is expected with aurora sightings unlikely.
Southern Hemisphere
No significant space weather activity is expected with aurora sightings unlikely.
Issued at: 02:24 (GMT) on Sat 17 Oct 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Chance of isolated Moderate-class flares. Chance of G1 Minor Storms day 4 (20 Oct)
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Moderate, with one Moderate class flare from the large region in the southwest. This is the most prominent of the two regions on the disc, but has seen a reduction in its overall areal extent as small peripheral spots faded. The other region, now approaching the north-centre disc, has seen some reduction within its trailer spots, but also growth within its intermediates.
No Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed in available imagery.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds were near background slow wind conditions, with speeds Slightly Elevated at between 410-480km/s. Interplanetary Magnetic Field was Weak. The north-south component was also weak, mainly southward until 16/2000 UTC then favouring a northward (positive) orientation. Phi angle was generally negative (towards the Sun). Geomagnetic activity was Quiet to Active (Kp 0-4).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: No solar radiation storms have been observed with the count rate of energetic particles (high energy proton) persisting at Background.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Low to Moderate activity with an ongoing chance of isolated Moderate flares.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: There are no Earth-directed CMEs. Slightly elevated solar winds are expected to continue easing towards Background until the onset of the fast winds from the next coronal hole, most likely day 4 (20 Oct). Geomagnetic activity is expected to be mainly Quiet (Kp 0-2) until this onset, then rising to Unsettled to Active (Kp3-4) with a chance of G1 Minor Storm (Kp5) intervals.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: No solar radiation storms are forecast with the count rate of energetic particles (high energy proton) expected to persist at Background.
Issued at: 12:23 (GMT) on Sat 17 Oct 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: