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
Mostly background aurora is expected, although ongoing fast winds on Wednesday (UTC), alongside a glancing CME on Thursday, could bring some occasional slight enhancements. These could perhaps allow for some brief visibility as far south as northern Scotland.
Southern Hemisphere
Mostly background aurora is expected, although ongoing fast winds on Wednesday (UTC), alongside a glancing CME on Thursday, could bring some occasional slight enhancements. These could perhaps allow for some brief visibility from the south coast of New Zealand
Issued at: 05:06 (GMT) on Wed 19 Aug 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Chance of G1/Minor storms days 1-3 (19-20 Aug). Chance of Moderate-class flares.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Low with only low Common-class flares observed. There are four sunspot regions on the Earth-facing disc, all in the western hemisphere with the largest and most notable containing a small mixed polarity spot near its trailer.
No Earth directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds, as measured by L1 at SOLAR-1, showed the onset of a fast wind, perhaps preceded by a very weak CME enhancement. Slightly Elevated solar wind speeds, around 400km/s, increased from 18/1244 UTC to become Elevated 550-600 km/s by 18/1800 UTC. Interplanetary Magnetic Field was mainly Moderate, but peaked Strong. The north-south component was Moderate in strength, initially southward until 18/0430 UTC, then persistently northward until around 18/1600 UTC, then becoming more variable but mostly negative southward. Geomagnetic activity was Active to G1 Minor Storm (Kp4-5) 18/000-0900 UTC, and again 18/1800-2400 UTC, otherwise Quiet (Kp1-2).
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: Activity is likely to remain Low, however there is a chance of isolated Moderate-class flares, most likely from the larger region in the western disc
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: CME which left the Sun on 16/1928 UTC is expected pass above Earth, but with the low chance of a glancing impact on day 2 (20 Aug). Otherwise the current fast winds are expected to soon be followed by those from another similar enhancement leading to a prolonged period of Elevated, perhaps Strong solar winds, only gradually easing from late day 3 or more likely day 4 (21-22 Aug). Geomagnetic activity is expected to reman Quiet to Unsettled overall, but with a chance for periods of Active to G1 Minor Storm, mainly day 1 and day 2 (19-20 Aug).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is expected to stay at Background, with only a slight chance of rising if any notable eruptions are observed from the larger of the sunspot regions.
Issued at: 00:15 (GMT) on Wed 19 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: