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Strongest solar storm in 20 years means all of UK likely to see Northern Lights tonight

Home> News> UK News> Weather

Published 13:50 10 May 2024 GMT+1

Strongest solar storm in 20 years means all of UK likely to see Northern Lights tonight

Look to the north and you might just be able to see it.

Joe Harker

Joe Harker

If you look up to the skies tonight, you might just get to see the Northern Lights.

That's all because the Earth is about to experience the strongest solar storm recorded since 2005.

It's been described as a 'severe solar storm' by the US agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), while here in the UK the Met Office has warned that we'll be experiencing high solar activity.

Solar storms can wreak havoc on our infrastructure, and the disruption they cause to power grids and satellites could leave some parts of the Earth without power or internet for a few hours.

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On the other hand, it will also be quite the lightshow for people who want to look up to the skies and see something wonderous.

We're going to get the strongest solar storm in 20 years, and there's a good chance you'll see the Northern Lights. (Getty Stock Photo)
We're going to get the strongest solar storm in 20 years, and there's a good chance you'll see the Northern Lights. (Getty Stock Photo)

Provided you're not spending tonight (10 May) staring at a cloudy sky, then Brits who live from Liverpool and northwards in the UK ought to be able to gaze into the northern night sky and see the lights.

Depending on how things go they could actually be visible all across the UK, so southerners will have to cross their fingers for clearer skies and more intense solar activity.

The Met Office said: "Where skies are clear and provided dark enough skies, sightings are expected to develop following the CME arrival across the northern half of the UK, with a chance that aurora may become visible to all parts of the UK and similar geomagnetic latitudes."

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There are going to be at least four coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the sun after two large sunspots merged.

As for the best advice to maximise your chances of seeing the Northern Lights tonight, the Met Office reckons you want to find a dark night sky clear of any clouds.


Get away from light pollution and very crucially, face north. They can be seen across the UK at times, but usually they're visible from Scotland, Northern Ireland, the north of England and North Wales.

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The word 'north' is really getting a run-out in this piece, isn't it?

Anyhow, while it's normally the case that those who are somewhere south of Liverpool have a far lower chance of seeing them, the Met Office does say that 'under severe space weather conditions, the lights can be seen throughout the UK'.

In that case, it's a good thing that we've got severe space weather conditions coming.

On the other hand, the disruption the solar storm will cause to power and communications isn't exactly going to be a small price to pay for some pretty lights.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images

Topics: UK News, Weather, Space

Joe Harker
Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

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@MrJoeHarker

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