Met Office issues major update on Northern Lights over UK on Sunday

The Met Office has issued a crucial update on whether Brits will be able to spot Northern Lights on Sunday night. Last month, spectacular displays of the Northern Lights dazzled observers as vibrant streaks of green, pink and purple illuminated the night sky. The stunning phenomenon is caused by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), powerful bursts of charged particles released by the Sun during periods of heightened solar activity. When these particles collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere, they produce the colourful auroral displays visible from the ground.

Now, the Met Office has revealed whether Brits will be able to spot the Northern Lights over the UK on Sunday. The forecaster had earlier said that some areas could possibly experience the phenomenom on Saturday, which saw millions of people celebrating Halloween. But according to the Met Office, there is another chance to witness the vibrant displays of the Northern Lights on Sunday evening as well.

A Met Office spokesperson told The Daily Express: "The chance of seeing the aurora returns on Sunday night across northern Scotland, where skies remain clear. From Monday night onwards, however, auroral activity is expected to ease."

Northern Lights visibility in the UK on Sunday will also largely depend on the weather. The Met Office forecast for this evening says: "Patchy rain in the south will clear. Elsewhere sees clear spells, a few coastal showers in the north and east. A colder night with widespread rural frost in the north."

Auroras, known in the Northern Hemisphere as the Aurora Borealis, are among the most breathtaking natural spectacles on Earth. Their appearance can vary dramatically, with displays ranging in brightness, shape and movement, while colours can include shades of purple, pink and red, although green is typically the most frequently seen.

Experts have previously highlighted 2026 as an exceptional year for aurora watching, as the sun continues to move through the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, a period associated with increased solar activity and a greater likelihood of vivid Northern Lights displays.

The Northern Lights are sometimes visible much farther south than usual, with residents in parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland occasionally able to witness the spectacular display when skies are clear and conditions are favourable. However, viewing opportunities can be limited because these areas lie well outside the main auroral zone.

Factors such as cloud cover, artificial light and lingering twilight can reduce visibility, meaning the lights often appear fainter to the naked eye than they do in photographs, which are capable of capturing far greater colour and detail.