Northern Lights set to dazzle UK this week due to possible ‘Severe’ geomagnetic storm

Geomagnetic storms are disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field that last for minutes or hours and are caused by Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and solar flares.

Three CMEs were reported to be moving from the Sun towards the Earth.

The National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which measures the strength of these storms, says there is a possibility of a Strong G3 or even Severe G4 geomagnetic storm being triggered, especially from Wednesday through Thursday.

Although dangerous to astronauts, geomagnetic storms do not harm humans because the Earth’s atmosphere protects us from radiation.

However, these storms can sometimes disrupt satellites and other electronic devices such as phones.

For example, in 2017, two massive solar flares erupted from the Sun’s surface, disrupting devices such as GPS navigation systems on Earth.

Victorians also struggled with the impact of space weather in 1859, when a massive solar flare caused a geomagnetic storm that disrupted railway signaling and telegraph lines. This was known as the Carrington Incident.

The KP index is an alternative measure of geomagnetic activity spanning from KP1 to KP9. Can be used to indicate the southern extent of the aurora. This storm is classified as a rare KP8. This means the aurora could be visible across many parts of the UK, including the south, over the coming nights.

There may be impacts on power grids and satellite navigation.