A powerful solar storm could bring a dazzling Northern Lights display later – as well as potentially disrupting GPS, communication systems and power grids.<\/p>\n
The British Geological Survey (BGS) upgraded its forecast to the maximum and said the ongoing storm had already interfered with communications and satellite navigation.<\/p>\n
It said a second geomagnetic “cannibal storm”, feeding off the first, could reach the UK by early afternoon and be one of the biggest in 20 years.<\/p>\n
A solar storm is an explosion of particles, energy, magnetic fields, and material blasted into space<\/a><\/strong> by the sun – and can disturb the Earth’s magnetic field, according to NASA<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n The latest event has already created the biggest geoelectric field at ground level since BGS records began.<\/p>\n The storm led to impressive sightings of the aurora borealis in some parts of the UK overnight and the same could happen later – assuming clear, dark skies.<\/p>\n People in Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland have the best chance of seeing the lights, according to the BGS.<\/p>\n Cloud is forecast in other areas but the Met Office said it might break enough to provide a glimpse over southeast England.<\/p>\n Get the Sky News forecast for your area<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The colours of the aurora are produced by charged particles from the sun hitting atoms and molecules in Earth’s upper atmosphere.<\/p>\n Solar storms can reach Earth from the sun in as little as 17 hours, but can sometimes take much longer.<\/p>\n Read more from Sky News:
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