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

Only minor enhancements to the auroral oval are expected over the coming days. Any visible aurora is likely to remain confined to high geomagnetic latitudes, where observations will also be limited by the short hours of darkness at this time of year.

Southern Hemisphere

Only minor enhancements to the auroral oval are expected over the coming days. Any visible aurora is likely to remain confined to high geomagnetic latitudes.

Issued at: 09:05 (GMT) on Thu 30 Jul 2026

Forecast overview

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

Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours

Solar Activity: Solar activity has been Low, with only occasional Common-class flares observed.

There are currently nine regions on the Earth-facing disc. In the far northeast a bipolar region is evolving into a large positive polarity lead spot, partially surrounded by mixed polarity minor spots to its south and east. A bipolar region is located in the southwest quadrant, approaching central disc and showing some consolidation of lead/intermediate spots in recent imagery. Another bipolar region located just north of the solar equator, in the northeast quadrant, has exhibited rapid development in its intermediate and trailer spots with a more magnetically complex delta configuration apparent in its main intermediate spot. Remaining areas are either small and magnetically simple, or inactive with little significant development. 

No Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed. 

Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar wind observations showed weak slow wind conditions with Background speeds, below 400km/s. Interplanetary Magnetic Field was Weak, with the north-south component also weak and often southward. Geomagnetic activity was Quiet (Kp 0-2).

Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) persisted at background with no Solar Radiation storms observed.

Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary

Solar Activity: Low activity is likely, but with a chance of rising to Moderate due to isolated Moderate-class flares.

Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Two weak, slow, and faint CMEs may deliver glancing impacts early on Day 1 (30 July), and again late Day 2 (31 July). However, both CMEs are considered more likely to mostly miss Earth. Otherwise, Background slow winds conditions are expected to largely prevail, with only a slight enhancement possible from any fast wind of the southern coronal hole, which is expected to pass mostly south of Earth. Quiet activity is generally expected, with isolated Unsettled spells, but also a chance of Active intervals from any CME glance or fast wind enhancement.

Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is most likely to remain at background with no Solar Radiation storms occurring.

Issued at: 12:05 (GMT) on Thu 30 Jul 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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