Magnetic storms in United Kingdom
Planetary Kp localized for cities of United Kingdom. Pick a region or a city.
Regions4
Popular cities24/107
- London8,961,989
- Birmingham1,157,603
- Glasgow626,410
- Manchester568,996
- Sheffield556,500
- Leeds536,280
- Edinburgh514,990
- Liverpool496,770
- Bristol479,024
- Cardiff372,089
- Leicester368,600
- Bradford366,187
- Belfast348,005
- Coventry345,324
- Brent329,100
- Birkenhead325,264
- Nottingham323,632
- Islington319,143
- Reading318,014
- Kingston upon Hull314,018
- Preston313,332
- Swansea300,352
- Newcastle upon Tyne300,125
- Southend-on-Sea295,310
Kp is planetary — the same everywhere on Earth. Local impact depends on the geomagnetic latitude of a particular city.
Solar wind
DSCOVR · L1Auroras over United Kingdom right now
Numbers for United Kingdom
Regions of United Kingdom — sensitivity table
Sorted by mean geomagnetic latitude. The higher the latitude, the more noticeable magnetic storms are in the region.
| Region | Cities | Population | Geomagnetic latitude | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 4 | 1,488,200 | 58.5° | Sub-auroral |
| Northern Ireland | 1 | 348,005 | 57.3° | Sub-auroral |
| England | 99 | 29,300,882 | 54.3° | Mid-latitudes |
| Wales | 3 | 833,947 | 54.0° | Mid-latitudes |
Top 10 cities of United Kingdom by sensitivity to magnetic storms
- 1.AberdeenScotland59.1°Sub-auroral
- 2.DundeeScotland58.6°Sub-auroral
- 3.GlasgowScotland58.2°Sub-auroral
- 4.EdinburghScotland58.2°Sub-auroral
- 5.BelfastNorthern Ireland57.3°Sub-auroral
- 6.Newcastle upon TyneEngland57.0°Sub-auroral
- 7.SunderlandEngland56.9°Sub-auroral
- 8.MiddlesbroughEngland56.5°Sub-auroral
- 9.BlackpoolEngland56.1°Sub-auroral
- 10.PrestonEngland56.0°Sub-auroral
FAQ about magnetic storms in United Kingdom
Where in United Kingdom are magnetic storms most noticeable?+
The most storm-sensitive zone of the country is cities with geomagnetic latitude above 54.1°. There are no magnetic observatories in United Kingdom in our database — we use global NOAA SWPC + INTERMAGNET data. The northernmost city in our database is Абердин (57.1° N), the southernmost is Плимут (50.4° N).
What Kp causes noticeable effects in United Kingdom?+
It depends on the city's latitude. In the south of United Kingdom (geomagnetic latitude around 52.6°), noticeable effects appear from Kp ≥ 7, while in the far north (59.1°) — already from Kp ≥ 1–2. On average across the country (54.5° geomag.), noticeable storms start at Kp = 5–6.
Which regions of United Kingdom see auroras most often?+
Regions with the highest mean geomagnetic latitude in our database: Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, Wales. Auroras are possible there at Kp 3–5, while most other regions need Kp ≥ 7.
How many time zones does United Kingdom cover?+
United Kingdom spans 1 time zones: from UTC+1 to UTC+1. This means the local time of a magnetic storm peak differs across regions — we account for this on each city page.
How do magnetic storms affect residents of United Kingdom?+
At Kp ≥ 5 weather-sensitive people may experience blood pressure swings, headaches, sleep disturbances. Pensioners and people with hypertension should watch the forecast carefully. In the north of the country, even a G1 storm brings visible auroras and noticeable magnetic field oscillations; in southern regions the effect is much weaker.
Where is the nearest magnetic observatory?+
Our database has no magnetic observatories in United Kingdom, but we use data from nearby observatories in neighbouring countries and the global NOAA SWPC + INTERMAGNET network.
Other countries with similar geomagnetic activity
Countries at similar mean geomagnetic latitude (≈ 54.5°), where storms behave alike.
About magnetic storms in United Kingdom
Magnetic storms in United Kingdom today: planetary Kp = 1.7 (quiet). Our database holds 4 regions and 107 cities of United Kingdom with live geomagnetic data.
Kp is planetary and identical everywhere on Earth, so its value for any point in United Kingdom is 1.7. But the local impact of a storm depends strongly on geomagnetic latitude: in the far north even a minor G1 storm triggers auroras and noticeable field disturbance, while in southern regions the effect is barely perceptible.
Pick a region above to see its cities. Each city page shows: current Kp and G-class, a 3-day hourly forecast, distance to the nearest magnetic observatory, local time in the correct time zone and aurora visibility chance. Data from NOAA SWPC, refreshed every 10 minutes.
The geomagnetic latitude across United Kingdom ranges from 52.6° in the south to 59.1° in the north, averaging 54.5°. The northernmost city in our database, Aberdeen, sits at 59.1° geomagnetic — that is where storm effects show up first when planetary Kp climbs above 5. The southernmost, Plymouth, sees noticeable activity only during severe G4+ events.
United Kingdom hosts no permanent magnetic observatories in our network — neighbouring stations provide regional context. Combined with the planetary Kp from NOAA SWPC, this lets us localise the picture: same Kp value, but different sensitivity from one region to another inside United Kingdom.