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.
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Aurora forecasts
Northern Hemisphere
The auroral oval is expected to be largely at Background levels, resulting in only limited opportunities for auroral visibility. Any viewing prospects will be further constrained by the short hours of darkness typical of this time of year.
Southern Hemisphere
The auroral oval is expected to remain close to background levels, resulting in limited auroral activity. Any visible displays are likely to remain confined to the Antarctic continent, with little to no expansion toward lower latitudes.
Issued at: 00:25 (GMT) on Wed 17 Jun 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: No significant activity.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Solar activity was at Low levels approaching Very Low, with only isolated minor Common-class flares observed. There are currently five sunspot regions visible on the Earth-facing solar disc. The largest is located in the northwest, with a moderately sized leader and smaller peripheral spots of differing polarity. The newly numbered spot in the east appears to have a simple magnetic structure and is currently moderately sized, though foreshortening is making a detailed analysis difficult at present. The remaining spots are small and simple, two of which are soon to rotate around the western limb.
No Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) have been observed.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds have been indicative of a slow regime, perhaps with a SSBC (solar sector boundary crossing) around 16/1700 UTC. Speeds were mostly Slow-Ambient to Slightly Elevated on an erratic declining trend. The Interplanetary Magnetic Field was largely Weak, although increased to Moderate late on 16 Jun. The north-south component was variable and Weak, before becoming persistently positive after 16/1700 UTC and eventually rising to Moderate late on 16 Jun. Geomagnetic Activity was Quiet (Kp 1-2).
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: Low or very low solar activity levels are forecast with only a slight chance of rising to Moderate, should any isolated Moderate-class flares occur.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: No coronal mass ejections currently feature in the forecast. Solar wind speeds are expected to remain unremarkable and mostly at Slow-Ambient to Slightly Elevated levels, with the passage of two weak and small coronal holes on Days 1 and 3 (17 & 19 Jun).
Geomagnetic activity is expected to remain mostly Quiet (Kp 0-2) throughout the period, with isolated Unsettled (Kp3) intervals and a chance of Active (Kp4) intervals Days 1 and 3 (17 & 19 Jun).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is forecast to persist at Background with no solar radiation storms occurring.
Issued at: 00:14 (GMT) on Wed 17 Jun 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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