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.

Image courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams

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Aurora forecasts

Northern Hemisphere

The auroral oval is expected to be at background levels at first, with some minor high latitude enhancements possible, mainly on Thursday (UTC). Short hours of darkness will limit any viewings, however.

Southern Hemisphere

The auroral oval is expected to be at background levels at first, with some minor high latitude enhancements possible, mainly on Thursday (UTC).

Issued at: 12:42 (GMT) on Thu 28 May 2026

Forecast overview

Space Weather Forecast Headline: Chance of Moderate-class X-ray flares. 

Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours

Solar Activity: Solar activity has been Low with only Common-class flares observed in the past 24 hours.

There are currently eleven sunspot regions on the visible disc. There are a number of regions clustered together in the southeast and southwest of the disc, but the individual regions themselves are all fairly simple, are generally stable, with little growth or development observed. Perhaps most of note is a region in the northwest, which has shown the most recent growth and development, and exhibits some magnetic complexity. The remaining spot regions are generally small and simple.

No Earth directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) were observed in the past 24 hours. 

Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds showed either some lingering weak coronal hole and/or CME influence. Wind speeds varied between 360 to 420km/s. The Interplanetary Magnetic Field was Weak to Moderate. The north-south component varied, mostly weakly, but becoming briefly moderate at times. Geomagnetic activity was Quiet to Unsettled (Kp1-3).

Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: Solar radiation levels have returned to background levels after a recent solar radiation storm from a far-sided eruption. 

Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary

Solar Activity: Generally Low activity is expected, with a chance for isolated Moderate-class flares. 

Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: No Earth-directed CMEs currently feature in the forecast. The solar wind is currently experiencing minor disturbance, due to either weak CME influence and/or lingering weak coronal hole fast wind effects. A small coronal hole in the southern hemisphere is expected to provide minor enhancements in the coming days, with wind speeds perhaps reaching up to 500 km/s, although this is low confidence. 

Quiet to Unsettled geomagnetic activity is expected at first, but activity is likely to become Unsettled to Active with coronal hole influence, most probably on Days 1-2 (28-29 May), with a slight chance of G1/Minor Storm intervals.

Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: Solar radiation levels are declining after a recent brief enhancement due to a far side eruption. Radiation levels are most likely to remain at background levels for the rest of this period.

Issued at: 12:10 (GMT) on Thu 28 May 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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