You Might Be Able To See The Northern Lights In Parts Of The UK Tonight

You may be wondering how and why the UK will be able to witness nature's greatest light show, which is typically reserved for icier locations, tonight.

The strength of this particular outburst may produce northern lights at low altitudes, including Scotland and northern England.

This happens due to coronal mass ejection (CME) which are affects of the flare. They are thrown out in a giant cloud of magnetic fields and gas and are likely to collide with Earth on today... or Thursday.

The news comes after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that geomagnetic storms are likely between December 9 and 11.

"Therefore, the potential for strong storm levels exists and a G3 (Strong) Watch is in effect for December 10th. CME-related disturbances are forecast to continue into 11 December, likely resulting in G2 (Moderate) storm levels - and another Watch has been issued accordingly.

"While SWPC forecasters are fairly confident in CME arrival at Earth, timing and geomagnetic storm intensity are less certain. Continue to monitor our SWPC webpage for the latest conditions and forecast."

There is also a possibility that the Aurora Borealis might appear in the next few days as well due to a solar storm.

Weather in the UK can be very unpredictable, as we're sure lots of you know, so figuring out exact timings and locations of where the northern lights can be seen is very tricky.

However, they are best viewed in the dark away from local light pollution - street lights, light from traffic, signs, buildings with their lights on etc.

If cloud coverage in the sky is low, you might be able to catch a glimpse of the world famous light show without having to travel abroad.