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
No significant geomagnetic enhancements are expected through the period, although weak Coronal Mass Ejection effects may give a slight enhancement on 08-09 August UTC. There a possibility of aurora at high latitudes, although viewings will be limited by the short hours of darkness.
Southern Hemisphere
No significant geomagnetic enhancements are expected through the period, although weak Coronal Mass Ejection effects may give a slight enhancement on 08-09 August UTC. There is a possibility of aurora at high latitudes, where skies are clear.
Issued at: 12:58 (GMT) on Fri 7 Aug 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Slight chance of isolated Moderate-class flares. Slight chance of G1/Minor geomagnetic storms Days 2-3 (08-09 Aug).
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Solar activity has been Low in the last 24 hours, with only one Common-class flare observed. There are now four regions on the visible disc, but all are small and simple.
No new Earth directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed in available imagery.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: The solar wind showed background conditions. Wind speeds were slow, varying between 270-320 km/s. The Interplanetary Magnetic field was weak, with the north-south component varying weakly. Geomagnetic activity was Quiet (Kp 0-1).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: GOES18 >10MeV proton flux is at background.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Low to Very Low solar activity is expected to continue with just a slight chance of an isolated Moderate-class flare.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: A CME which left the Sun on 04 Aug may give a glancing blow at Earth later on Day 2 (08 Aug). Solar winds are slow at present, and likely to remain so during this period. However, a small coronal hole in the southwest could give a weak enhancement on Day 2 into Day 3 (08-09 Aug), with slow wind speeds likely returning by the end of the period.
Quiet geomagnetic activity is expected to persist unless any CME or weak fast wind arrival occurs, then perhaps becoming Unsettled to Active with a slight chance of an isolated G1/Minor Geomagnetic Storm interval Day 2 into Day 3. By Day 4 (10 Aug) geomagnetic activity is expected to be mostly Quiet once again.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: GOES18 >10MeV proton flux is expected to continue at background levels.
Issued at: 12:10 (GMT) on Fri 7 Aug 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: