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

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.

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.

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."

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.

Although it won't be confirmed until after the event has reached Earth, there are signs tonight's Severe Geomagnetic Storm will be the strongest since 2005.

This will mean it's likely all of the UK (cloud permitting) should be able to see the the Aurora tonight if you look north pic.twitter.com/SbxKrG8IPk

— Chris Page - Weatherman (@ChrisPage90) May 10, 2024

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.

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.