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

Space weather notifications

There are currently no active notifications.

Aurora forecasts

Northern Hemisphere

Up to three coronal mass ejections are expected to arrive at Earth, one on 12 Jul UTC, then up to two later 13 or early 14 Jul UTC. These may enhance aurora over Scotland and similar magnetic latitudes on Saturday and Monday nights UTC. However, any aurora sightings are likely to be limited by short hours of darkness.

Southern Hemisphere

Up to three coronal mass ejections are expected to arrive at Earth, one on 12 Jul UTC, then up to two later 13 or early 14 Jul UTC. These may enhance aurora over southern New Zealand and similar magnetic latitudes at times.

Issued at: 09:27 (GMT) on Sun 12 Jul 2026

Forecast overview

Space Weather Forecast Headline: Chance of R1/Radio Blackouts.  Likely G1, Chance of G2 at times days 1-3 (12-14 July).

Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours

Solar Activity: Solar activity is Moderate, with one M class flare from a region in the southwest. There are five sunspot regions visible on the solar disc.. The region in the southwest responsible for the flare will rotate off the visible disk soon. The other regions are stable and simple.  A CME was observed leaving the Sun shortly after midnight UTC, this has been analysed as a likely miss. No new Earth-directed CMEs were observed. 

Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds were indicative of a waning coronal hole high speed stream. Winds speeds have been mostly Elevated, peaking at 580km/s. Total Interplanetary Magnetic Field was Weak. The north-south component varied Weakly. Geomagnetic activity was Quiet to Unsettled (Kp1-3). 

Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) was at background levels. 

Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary

Solar Activity: Mostly Low or Very Low activity, but with a Chance of further isolated Moderate-class flares.

Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed on the afternoon of 10 Jul, one of which was from a filament eruption in the east and is expected to miss behind Earth's orbit. The other two originated from the moderately sized spot in the southwest, one southward directed and the other produced a faint partial halo, both in quick succession. These have been analysed as arriving at Earth later on 13 or early 14 July, perhaps as a single event.

Solar wind speeds are now Elevated, due to the waning coronal hole fast winds and possible glancing CME impact. Solar wind speeds are likely to erratically wane until  later on Day 2 or early Day 3 (13 or 14 Jul), when the two 10 Jul CMEs may arrive, raising speeds back to Elevated, perhaps briefly Strong. Winds speeds gradually easing to Slightly Elevated levels on Day 4 (15 Jul).

Geomagnetic activity is expected to be Quiet to Unsettled with Active intervals and a chance of G1/Minor Geomagnetic storms on day 1 (12 July).  Geomagnetic activity is expected to be Quiet to Unsettled at first on Day 2 (13 Jul) before increasing to Active, with Likely G1/Minor storms and a Chance of isolated G2/Moderate storm intervals,  due to possible CME arrivals. Activity reducing to Quiet to Unsettled conditions, with Active intervals on Day 4 (15 Jul). 

Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is most likely to remain at background levels.

Issued at: 12:08 (GMT) on Sun 12 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.

Issued at:

Take our short survey