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 geomagnetic forecast is low confidence, with the ongoing fast wind likely to be amplified later on 08 Sep UTC by up to three glancing Coronal Mass Ejections. Together these give a likelihood of aurora over northern Scotland and similar magnetic latitudes, but possibly more widely across northern UK at peak later 08 Sep into 09 Sep UTC.
Southern Hemisphere
The geomagnetic forecast is low confidence, with the ongoing fast wind likely to be amplified later on 08 Sep UTC by up to three glancing Coronal Mass Ejections. Together these give a likelihood of aurora from the far south of New Zealand and similar magnetic latitudes, but possibly more widely across the South Island of New Zealand and similar latitudes at peak later 08 Sep into 09 Sep UTC.
Issued at: 12:50 (GMT) on Tue 8 Sep 2026
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: G1/Minor storm likely, chance of G2/Moderate Storm Days 1-2 (08-09 Sep).
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Activity has been Low, with just one minor Common-class flare in the last 24 hours. There are currently seven sunspot regions on the visible disc. These are mostly simple unipolar groups, although one region has been growing of late and is now a bipolar group with penumbra on both ends. So far it appears to be simple magnetically, however.
No Earth directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) have been seen in available imagery in the last 24 hours.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds showed a coronal hole fast wind. Wind speeds were mainly elevated, varying between 480-530 km/s, before rising to 540-620 km/s. The Interplanetary Magnetic Field was initially moderate, but is now weak. The north-south component varied moderately, but is now mostly weakly southward directed. Geomagnetic activity was Unsettled to G1/Minor Storm (Kp 3-5).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: Solar radiation was at normal background levels.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Solar Activity is likely to be Low or Very Low, but with a slight chance of Moderate-class flares, this increasing a little when a potential far side region rotates onto the disc.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: The geomagnetic forecast has lower than average confidence. Earth is currently in a coronal hole fast wind, with wind speeds of 500-600 km/s likely to continue at least through Day 1 (08 Sep). In addition, up to three CMEs could arrive at Earth later Day 1, perhaps into early Day 2 (08-09 Sep), keeping wind speeds elevated. These features could interact and possibly arrive at Earth as a single event. A further coronal hole could give fast winds which could push wind speeds back above 500 km/s later on Day 4 (11 Sep).
Given the ongoing geomagnetic activity which is Unsettled to G1/Minor Storm (Kp 3-5), the probability of higher activity with CME arrivals has been increased slightly. Active to G1/Minor Storms are now likely with a chance of G2/Moderate Storms and a slight chance of G3/Strong Storms from later on Day 1 into Day 2 (08-09 Sep). Activity is likely to be declining by Day 3-4 (10-11 Sep), but with a potential increase and a chance of G1/Minor Storms later on Day 4 with any fast wind arrival.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: Solar radiation is now at background, with a very slight chance of further enhancements above the S1/Minor Radiation Storm threshold.
Issued at: 12:10 (GMT) on Tue 8 Sep 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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