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
Coronal Mass Ejection effects may give a slight enhancement on 08-09 August UTC. There a possibility of aurora at high latitudes, where skies are clear, although viewings will be limited by the short hours of darkness.
Southern Hemisphere
Coronal Mass Ejection effects may give a slight enhancement on 08-09 August UTC. There is a possibility of aurora at high latitudes, where skies are clear.
Issued at: 12:37 (GMT) on Sat 8 Aug 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Slight chance of isolated Moderate-class flares. Chance of Minor geomagnetic storms Days 1-2 (08-09 Aug).
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Solar activity has been Very Low in the last 24 hours, with Background class flares. There five numbered regions on the visible disc. All are magnetically simple, weak and most are small.
No new Earth directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed in available imagery.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: The solar wind trace remained low,. The Interplanetary Magnetic field was weak until around 08/0600 UTC then became moderate to strong to end the period. The north-south component varying weakly until around 08/0600 UTC then became moderate to strong to end the period. Geomagnetic activity was mainly Quiet, before becoming Active for the final period.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: GOES18 >10MeV proton flux is at background.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Low to Very Low solar activity is expected with a slight chance of an isolated Moderate-class flare.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds are low. A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) which left the Sun on 04 Aug appears to have arrived and may raise solar winds to slightly elevated levels. In addition a small coronal hole in the southwest could give a weak enhancement to slightly elevated levels around the same time then persisting into Day 2 (09 Aug). Slow wind speeds are then expected to return through Day 3 (10 Aug), persisting until a solar wind enhancement from a small southern coronal hole potentially arrives late Day 4 (11 Aug).
Unsettled to Active geomagnetic activity with a chance of Minor Geomagnetic Storm intervals Day 1 into Day 2. By Day 3 (10 Aug) geomagnetic activity is expected to be mostly Quiet. Late Day 4 (11 Aug) activity may increase again if a solar wind enhancement arrives
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: GOES18 >10MeV proton flux is expected to continue at background levels.
Issued at: 12:08 (GMT) on Sat 8 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: