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
Only minor enhancements to the auroral oval are expected at first. A stronger enhancement is probable late 01 August or early 02 August (UTC) due to a Coronal Mass Ejection arrival from the 30 July Coronal Mass Ejection. Aurora may be visible across Scotland and similar magnetic latitudes, where cloud breaks allow, but viewings likely hampered by shorter hours of darkness.
Southern Hemisphere
Only minor enhancements to the auroral oval are expected at first. A stronger enhancement is probable late 01 August or early 02 August (UTC) due to a Coronal Mass Ejection arrival from the 30 July Coronal Mass Ejection. Aurora may be visible across southern New Zealand and similar magnetic latitudes, where cloud breaks allow.
Issued at: 09:09 (GMT) on Sat 1 Aug 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: G1-G2/Minor-Moderate geomagnetic storms likely day 1 (02 Aug) due to CME arrival. Chance of isolated Moderate class flares.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Low, with isolated Common class flares. There are seven visible regions on the disc, with the largest and most notable being the two in the northeast-centre disc, although these have remained relatively inactive, despite their close proximity. The other regions are small and simple.
No Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Ongoing slow wind conditions were observed. Solar wind speeds remained at Background, near or just below 300 km/s. Interplanetary Magnetic Field was Weak with the north-south component weak and variable in direction. Geomagnetic activity was Quiet (Kp 0-1).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) was well below the S1 Minor Radiation storm level, but slightly above Background, easing after the enhancement on 30-31 Jul.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Low to Moderate solar activity is expected to continue, with a chance of isolated Moderate-class flares.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: A CME which left the Sun on 30 Jul reached L1 around 02/1130UTC. While it appears the majority of the material is likely to have passed ahead of Earth there is a likelihood of G1-G2/Minor-Moderate Storms early in the remainder of Day 1 (2 Aug). Activity then declining again day 2 (03 Aug) with no further significant enhancements. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be Active to G1/2 Minor/Moderate geomagnetic storms before easing back to mainly Quiet with isolated Unsettled intervals on Day 2 (3 Aug).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is expected to remain below the S1 Minor Radiation Storm level with no further enhancements forecast.
Issued at: 12:23 (GMT) on Sun 2 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: