Northern Lights now - geomagnetic storms increase chances of aurora displays tonight and into the weekend
Geomagnetic storms triggered by solar activity are expected to increase the visibility of the Northern Lights across North America and the U.K. this weekend. Experts note that current solar cycle conditions are favorable for these aurora displays.
Why it matters
While providing a visual spectacle, these geomagnetic storms can also interfere with power grids and communication systems, making them a point of interest for both enthusiasts and infrastructure operators.
Aurora-chasers and Northern Lights enthusiasts could be in for a treat tonight, 8 October 2026, into 9 October and the coming weekend.
That's because space weather prediction centres in North America and the United Kingdom are tracking an expected increase in solar activity.
The increase is driven by the eruption of a coronal mass ejection from the Sun on Tuesday 6 October at 06:10 UTC.
Authorities including the NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center and the UK Met Office are reporting an elevated window for geomagnetic storms.
The Space Weather Prediction Center has reported a G2-class geomagnetic storm which, while only a moderate storm, is still strong enough to interfere with power and communication systems on Earth. It could also lead to an increase in auroral activity.
The Met Office says there's a possibility of the "arrival of a glancing blow from another coronal mass ejection" on Saturday 10 October.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in