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: 12:26 (GMT) on Sat 22 Aug 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Chance of Moderate Class flares throughout. Chance of S1/Minor Solar Radiation Storming Day 1 and Day 2.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Solar activity has become Low, with only Common-class flares since the end of the long duration Moderate class flare which peaked at 21/0957UTC.
There are currently six sunspot regions on the visible disc. The largest and most complex region resides in the east. This region is showing signs of losing it's delta magnetic configuration with the intermediate portion showing clear signs of separation and a tenuous connection in the bipolar trailing portion. The remaining regions are much smaller, magnetically simple and weaker, with two new but weak regions forming in recent hours.
No Earth directed coronal mass ejections (CME's) are currently expected during the forecast period, with the coronal mass ejection associated with the long duration Moderate class flare (21 Aug) expected to miss Earth.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds were indicative of waning high speed stream regime. Speeds were predominantly Slightly Elevated on a declining trend. Interplanetary Magnetic Field has been Weak. The north-south component has been Weak and variable. Geomagnetic activity was Quiet (Kp 0-2).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: GOES18 >10MeV proton flux was at Background initially but increased to become Slightly Elevated.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Activity is likely to be Low to Moderate, with a Chance of further Moderate-class flares.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: No Earth directed coronal mass ejections are currently expected during the forecast period. Earth is currently under the waning influence of a High Speed Stream (HSS) from a coronal hole in the northwest. The fast winds will continue to gradually decline through the period, to Background levels by day 2 or 3 (23-24 Aug).
Geomagnetic activity is expected to remain Quiet (Kp 0-2) overall, with a chance for periods of Unsettled (Kp 3) activity, mainly on Day 1 (22 Aug).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: There is a Chance of Minor Solar Proton Storming Days 1 and 2 (22-23 Aug), due to after effects of 21 Aug Coronal Mass Ejection and associated flare. Thereafter becoming a Slight Chance.
Issued at: 12:20 (GMT) on Sat 22 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.
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