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Is there going to be a chance of seeing the Northern Lights tonight?
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Could Sunday night be third time lucky for Brits who have so far failed to catch the dazzling pink and green light show of the aurora borealis over their heads?
Fortunately for those unlucky few, judging by the swathes of pictures of the phenomenon shared on social media, the huge geomagnetic storm will continue until at least Monday.
But what are the chances of catching it on Sunday night?
Is there going to be a Northern Lights show tonight?
The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center said Sunday morning that a severe to extreme geomagnetic storm is possible on Sunday night.
Update given by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (NOAA)
But Channel 4 weather presenter Liam Dutton dampened down expectations with an uptick in cloud expected. He posted on X: “Geomagnetic activity will increase again today, however, as with last night, peak activity may not coincide with darkness.
“There’ll also be much more cloud around tonight, with clear spells limited. So, the chances of spotting the aurora borealis will be reduced somewhat.”
What is the chance of seeing the Northern Lights?
The Met Office reported a cluster of thunderstorms pushing northwards on Sunday night that would likely hamper any viewings in eastern Wales and The Midlands.
Meanwhile, AuroraWatch UK, a group of scientists from Lancaster University issued a yellow alert on Sunday morning, indicating the Northern Lights could be visible to the naked eye in some areas and more widely through camera equipment.
BBC weather expert Simon King said: “Forecasters at NOAA and the Met Office Space Weather centre are predicting the arrival of another strong CME [Further Coronal Mass Ejections] on Sunday and into Monday.
“Geomagnetic activity is expected to be strong to severe (G4) with a chance of an increase at times to extreme (G5).
“Therefore, for another chance to see the aurora – anywhere in the UK – you might want to keep an eye on things on Sunday night.”
Where have the Northern Lights been spotted?
Many skygazers were left disappointed on Saturday night after the breathtaking sights produced by the Northern Lights 24 hours earlier failed to materialise on the same scale.
Beautiful hues of purple, red, green and blue filled the skies across the north on Friday with the lights, called the aurora borealis, even spotted as far south as London.
A geomagnetic storm caused the lights to be more visible than normal and they were also spotted across parts of northern Europe and North America.
On Friday, there were sightings “from top to tail across the country,” said Chris Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, Britain’s weather agency.
He added that the office received photos and information from other European locations including Prague and Barcelona.
Images showed bands of red, purple and lime green illuminating the sky above Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh.
A general view of the Commando Memorial as the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, are visible in the early hours on May 12, 2024 in Spean Bridge, Scotland (Getty Images)
Further south, over St Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the north-east coast of England, locals flocked to the beaches to glimpse the spectacular lights there.
And in Liverpool, the lights could be seen behind Anthony Gormley’s Another Place statue.
Where will people be able to see the Northern Lights
A spokesperson for the Met Office said that it was more likely that those located in the north will see them.
They said: “CMEs are anticipated through May 12, Sunday, although with less certainty about their arrival times and intensity compared to the ones that impacted Earth late on May 10, Friday.
“Previous CMEs heightened the aurora displays across the UK on Friday night and intermittently across parts of the UK on Saturday night.
“Auroral activity is projected to be heightened again at times across parts of the UK on Sunday night, most likely in northern areas where skies remain clear, with only a slight chance they will be visible with the naked eye across southern regions.
“The forecast is for much more cloud across many parts of the UK tonight, with heavy thundery showers at times. Any sightings will be far reduced compared to Friday and Saturday nights.
Read the full story on www.independent.co.uk
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