The Aurorawatch UK project has today issued a ‘red alert’ meaning with skies quite clear people might be able to see them with the naked eye
09:01, 06 Nov 2025
The Northern Lights in Monmouthshire last year(Image: John Myers)
Residents across Wales might witness the Northern Lights tomorrow evening (November 7) the Met Office said. The Aurora Borealis is set to be visible from the UK due to a coronal mass ejection from the Sun which is due to due to strike our atmosphere shortly.
The Aurorawatch UK project has today issued a ‘red alert’ meaning with skies quite clear it is possible people will be able to see the Northern Lights from across the UK with their naked eyes.
The Met Office Space Weather forecasting service said: “The auroral oval is likely to become enhanced over the coming days, due to glancing CME (coronal mass ejection) effects and then a coronal hole fast wind. Aurora is increasingly likely to become visible from Scotland and similar geomagnetic latitudes by 07 November. There is then a chance of aurora being seen from Northern Ireland and northern England, and a slight chance of glimpses from Wales and central England, although confidence here is low.”
A coronal mass ejection occurs when a massive cloud of charged and highly magnetised plasma bursts from the solar corona into space, triggering radio and magnetic disruptions on Earth. The Northern Lights, or aurora borealis as they’re also known, are usually only visible from northern latitudes.
However, during a coronal mass ejection (CME) – a solar eruption of charged particles – the aurora can extend to more southern latitudes, including the UK. The Met Office has indicated that the visible aurora could reach as far south as Lancashire, the Midlands, and Wales, provided the skies are dark and clear.
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The Met Office said: “Solar activity has been Moderate over the past 24 hours with two moderate class flares. Both have been from the complex region in the northeast. There are six active regions visible on the solar disc, with the complex region in the northeast remaining the largest and most notable and shows significant magnetic complexity.
“Several CMEs (Coronal mass ejections) were seen leaving the Sun during the 24-hour period. A CME associated with the M7.6 flare at 05/1118 UTC from AR4274 may give a glancing blow with Earth on the 07th of November. A further CME associated with the M8.6 flare from AR4274 at 05/2207 UTC is currently undergoing analysis.”
The Northern Lights are the result of significant solar activity, which releases vast amounts of charged particles – known as solar wind – into space.
When these particles are trapped by Earth’s magnetic field, they can collide with gas molecules in the atmosphere, causing a geomagnetic storm. These collisions emit light at various wavelengths, creating the stunning colourful displays we know as the Northern Lights.
The UK is currently witnessing an increase in aurora displays, courtesy of the Sun’s solar cycle. According to the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), we are presently nearing the apex of the 11-year solar cycle, referred to as the ‘solar maximum’.
The RAS explains that sunspots, flares, and CMEs all become more prevalent during the solar maximum.
The higher the geomagnetic activity, the better the odds of observing the aurora borealis at lower latitudes, including the UK.
