Northern Lights could be visible 'in coming weeks' as massive solar storm continues

Leicestershire could be treated to another display of the Northern Lights in the coming weeks, according to space weather forecasters. The aurora borealis, as it's scientifically known, painted the night sky in hues of pink and green last week across the UK and parts of Europe, thanks to an extreme geomagnetic storm that made them more visible, says the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This recent solar activity follows a series of flares and mass ejections of coronal plasma that posed a threat to power and communications on Earth and in orbit.

Krista Hammond, a space weather expert at the Met Office, has indicated that the sunspot region will rotate back towards Earth in about 10 to 12 days, potentially leading to further geomagnetic storms and Northern Lights displays. "The sunspot region will be coming back round onto the Earth facing side of the sun," she explained.

READ MORE: Stunning pictures as northern lights spotted across Leicestershire by stargazers

Auroras are created when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere near the magnetic poles. Currently, the sun is in its most active phase of its 11-year cycle.

Ms Hammond added: "We're currently at solar maximum and we're seeing more sunspots. If we see more sunspots, we see this increased frequency in space weather and therefore the aurora", reports Bristol Live.

The meteorologist tempered expectations for a repeat of the recent spectacular Northern Lights show, but noted that ongoing solar activity could still provide opportunities for sightings "in the coming weeks, months and years".

"It was such a unique set of circumstances that happened last weekend. The chances of the same sunspots doing the same thing again It's probably quite slim.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it comes around and there's some activity on it, but it won't be, I doubt, a repeat performance."

The visibility of such displays in the UK is influenced by the "strength of geomagnetic storming", she explained. There might also be smaller mass ejections heading towards Earth soon, which could result in more stunning auroras, according to Ms Hammond.

"There are a couple of mass ejections on their way to Earth. They're a lot less powerful than what we saw last weekend, but they could bring aurora displays across predominantly northern parts of the UK, such as Scotland, Northern Ireland, north of England."

"Just because we're not seeing aurora across the whole of the UK, it doesn't mean that we're not going to see it in some areas," she added. For a significant display to be visible, it needs to occur at night and under clear skies, she further mentioned.