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 /

Solar storm hits Earth - Spectacular Northern Lights display

09:00
20 January 2026

Solar storm hits Earth
Spectacular Northern Lights display

Bright green aurora arc sweeping across a dark night sky, with faint stars visible and black silhouettes of trees and low hills along the horizon.Night sky filled with green aurora curtains and a red glow to the right, with stars visible above silhouetted rooftops, power lines, and softly lit houses below.Night sky glowing with vivid red aurora above and soft green aurora below, dotted with small stars and framed by the silhouette of a leafless tree and rooftops at the bottom.Night sky filled with deep red aurora glow fading into pale green near the horizon, with scattered stars visible through thin cloud layers.Wide night view of a town on a hillside with house lights below, beneath a star-filled sky glowing deep red above and bright green along the horizon from an aurora display.
1/5
A vibrant display was seen over Connemara, Co. Galway. - © Pat Leonard

A powerful solar storm hit Earth on Monday evening. The Northern Lights were visible over the UK and Ireland despite cloud cover, and across Central Europe down to the Alps.

Monday evening saw the strongest solar radiation storm for over two decades, with the last storm of this strength being recorded in 2003.

The sky was clear and starry, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. In most regions of the UK, Ireland, and France, however, thick clouds obscured the view of this spectacular event.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
A harbour in Crete with a reddish-brown, overcast sky
Friday, 3 April 2026

Blood red skies

Dust storm in Crete
Wind map of the UK and Ireland showing a deep low-pressure system, Storm Dave, with red-orange zones and strong gusts up to 55 mph, plus a windsock warning icon indicating hazardous conditions.
Saturday, 4 April 2026

Severe overnight gales

Storm Dave makes impact
Left: Weather radar from Monday evening – Right: The corresponding wind radar
Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Air quality dropping

Saharan dust coats the Canaries
All weather news
This might also interest you
Split weather map showing UK wind speeds in orange-red shades up to 40 mph on the left and warning levels in green-yellow on the right, with a central wind warning sign.
Wednesday, 22 October 2025

Warnings active

Storm Benjamin impacts the UK
Split image showing strong winds over the UK on a forecast map and widespread rain and snow on a weather radar map.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Severe gales & heavy rain

Storm Chandra makes impact
plit image showing a double rainbow over a rocky shoreline on the left and sheep grazing in a green field under stormy clouds on the right.
Sunday, 2 November 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mixed conditions on an unsettled week
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