Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Bathed in colour: Aurora shines over the UK and Ireland

14:00
27 February 2023

Bathed in colour
Aurora shines over the UK and Ireland

Aurora borealis
Sunday night's aurora snapped in Talmine, Scotland. - © Dawn Gibson-Hylands

The Northern Lights were spotted across the UK and Ireland on Sunday, and could appear again tonight!

Intense sightings of the aurora borealis were reported across the two countries yesterday thanks to the arrival of a strong solar flare from the Sun.

The natural phenomenon is typically found around the Earth’s poles, however stronger periods of solar activity can result in auroras descending to more southerly latitudes.

Aurora Borealis
Aurora over bridge
Aurora
Aurora
1/4
The display was also captured in Dunkeld, Perthshire last night. - © Keith Morris

In the UK, the aurora can be seen in the far north of Scotland at times of moderate activity in the right conditions.

For the display to be visible as far south as Cornwall is rare and only occurs at times of high solar activity.

In addition to reports in the UK and Ireland, the lights were also spotted in Europe with Weather & Radar users on the continent sending in their views of the lights.

We can expect more auroras in the coming years as the Sun approaches the solar maximum in 2025. This is the point in its 11-year solar cycle at which activity is at its highest.

Further sightings of the Northern Lights are expected tonight however thick cloud cover obscures the night sky for almost all areas of the UK and Ireland.

Check out the WeatherRadar for conditions in your area tonight and to find out exactly how auroras form take a look at our Weather Explained video below.

Aurora events
Ryan Hathaway

More on the topic

Summer heat in the middle of November. Unusual temperatures. . . Tuesday, 10 November 2026
The weather map shows the temperatures in south-eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region. It is particularly warm in the Balkans: temperatures in Belgrade are reaching 25 degrees. A red arrow indicates that warm air is flowing from the central Mediterranean towards Serbia. In Italy, Greece and Romania, too, temperatures are above 20 degrees in many places. By contrast, it is significantly cooler in the Alps and in parts of Central Europe.
Tuesday, 10 November 2026

Unusual temperatures

Summer heat in the middle of November
Further fog disruption expected. Growing dense overnight. . . Monday, 9 November 2026
Weather map showing widespread fog across the English Midlands, with a red fog warning symbol near Nottingham and temperatures of 4–6°C.
Monday, 9 November 2026

Growing dense overnight

Further fog disruption expected
First widespread frost of the season. Freezing evenings. . . Wednesday, 11 November 2026
Temperature map showing -3°C near Cardiff, -2°C in Dublin, -1°C in Glasgow and Liverpool, and 2°C near Aberdeen and London, with a blue thermometer.
Wednesday, 11 November 2026

Freezing evenings

First widespread frost of the season
All weather news

This might also interest you

A stormy week in the skies above. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 30 August 2026
Split image showing lightning branching beneath dark storm clouds above rooftops on the left and an orange-pink sunset over a calm sea on the right.
Sunday, 30 August 2026

Your weather - Your shots

A stormy week in the skies above
New records for England and Wales. Broken again tomorrow?. . . Thursday, 25 June 2026
Temperature map of southwest Britain on 25.06 showing extreme heat across southern Wales and southwest England, with Bute Park in Cardiff highlighted at 34.2°C and Yeovilton at 36.4°C amid widespread deep red heat zones.
Thursday, 25 June 2026

Broken again tomorrow?

New records for England and Wales
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. 40 °C in July?. . . Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday, 30 June 2026

40 °C in July?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList