Magnetic storms in England
Magnetic storms in England, United Kingdom. Current Kp index, 3-day storm forecast, list of cities and geomagnetic activity.
Cities in region32/99
- London8,961,989
- Birmingham1,157,603
- Manchester568,996
- Sheffield556,500
- Leeds536,280
- Liverpool496,770
- Bristol479,024
- Leicester368,600
- Bradford366,187
- Coventry345,324
- Brent329,100
- Birkenhead325,264
- Nottingham323,632
- Islington319,143
- Reading318,014
- Kingston upon Hull314,018
- Preston313,332
- Newcastle upon Tyne300,125
- Southend-on-Sea295,310
- Brighton283,870
- Derby270,468
- Southampton269,781
- Wolverhampton263,700
- Plymouth260,203
- Stoke-on-Trent258,366
- Milton Keynes256,385
- City of Westminster247,614
- Northampton245,899
- Oldham237,110
- Bexley228,000
- Luton225,262
- Barking218,534
An aurora visible over England requires Kp ≥ 6 — current activity is below that level.
Numbers for England
Aurora forecast over England
Cities of England — sensitivity table
Minimum Kp shown for a realistic chance of seeing an aurora. The lower the number, the more noticeable storms are in the city.
| City | Population | Geomagnetic latitude | Kp threshold | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 8,961,989 | 53.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Birmingham | 1,157,603 | 54.6° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Manchester | 568,996 | 55.6° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Sheffield | 556,500 | 55.4° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Leeds | 536,280 | 55.8° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Liverpool | 496,770 | 55.7° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Bristol | 479,024 | 53.7° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Leicester | 368,600 | 54.6° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Bradford | 366,187 | 55.8° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Coventry | 345,324 | 54.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Brent | 329,100 | 53.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Birkenhead | 325,264 | 55.7° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Nottingham | 323,632 | 54.9° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Islington | 319,143 | 53.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Reading | 318,014 | 53.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Kingston upon Hull | 314,018 | 55.6° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Preston | 313,332 | 56.0° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 300,125 | 57.0° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Southend-on-Sea | 295,310 | 53.3° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Brighton | 283,870 | 52.7° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Derby | 270,468 | 55.0° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Southampton | 269,781 | 53.0° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Wolverhampton | 263,700 | 54.7° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Plymouth | 260,203 | 52.9° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 258,366 | 55.2° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Milton Keynes | 256,385 | 54.0° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| City of Westminster | 247,614 | 53.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Northampton | 245,899 | 54.2° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Oldham | 237,110 | 55.7° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Bexley | 228,000 | 53.3° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Luton | 225,262 | 53.8° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Barking | 218,534 | 53.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Archway | 215,667 | 53.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Portsmouth | 208,100 | 52.9° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Swindon | 201,669 | 53.7° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Dudley | 199,059 | 54.7° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Sutton | 187,600 | 53.2° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| St Helens | 183,200 | 55.7° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Ipswich | 178,835 | 53.7° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Wigan | 175,405 | 55.7° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Croydon | 173,314 | 53.3° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Warrington | 172,330 | 55.6° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Walsall | 172,141 | 54.7° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Mansfield | 171,958 | 55.1° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Sunderland | 170,134 | 56.9° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Ilford | 168,168 | 53.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Slough | 164,793 | 53.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Bournemouth | 163,600 | 52.9° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Peterborough | 163,379 | 54.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Oxford | 162,100 | 53.8° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Enfield Town | 156,858 | 53.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| York | 156,135 | 55.9° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Telford | 155,570 | 54.9° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Poole | 151,500 | 52.9° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Burnley | 149,422 | 55.9° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Harrow | 149,246 | 53.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Huddersfield | 149,017 | 55.7° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Blackburn | 146,521 | 55.9° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Cambridge | 145,674 | 54.0° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Blackpool | 145,007 | 56.1° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Basildon | 144,859 | 53.3° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Norwich | 143,135 | 54.2° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Middlesbrough | 142,707 | 56.5° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Bolton | 141,331 | 55.8° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Stockport | 139,052 | 55.5° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| High Wycombe | 133,204 | 53.6° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Gloucester | 132,416 | 54.1° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Exeter | 130,709 | 53.2° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Colchester | 130,245 | 53.6° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Tottenham | 130,000 | 53.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Salford | 129,794 | 55.6° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Newcastle under Lyme | 127,727 | 55.2° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Solihull | 126,577 | 54.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Watford | 125,707 | 53.6° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Saint Peters | 125,370 | 53.0° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Crawley | 124,008 | 53.0° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Burton upon Trent | 122,199 | 54.9° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Cheltenham | 118,836 | 54.1° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Rotherham | 117,618 | 55.4° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Worthing | 113,866 | 52.8° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Doncaster | 113,566 | 55.5° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Chesterfield | 113,057 | 55.3° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Chelmsford | 111,511 | 53.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Mendip | 110,000 | 53.5° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Sutton Coldfield | 109,899 | 54.7° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Wakefield | 109,766 | 55.7° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| Walthamstow | 109,424 | 53.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Dagenham | 108,368 | 53.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Basingstoke | 107,642 | 53.3° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Maidstone | 107,627 | 53.0° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Bedford | 106,940 | 54.0° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Woking | 103,900 | 53.3° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Lincoln | 103,813 | 55.1° | ≥ 5 | Sub-auroral |
| West Bromwich | 103,112 | 54.7° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Eastbourne | 101,689 | 52.6° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Worcester | 101,659 | 54.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Bath | 101,557 | 53.6° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Gillingham | 101,187 | 53.2° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
| Becontree | 100,000 | 53.4° | ≥ 6 | Mid-latitudes |
FAQ about magnetic storms in England
Are auroras visible in England?+
Rarely. The geomagnetic latitude of England (≈ 54.3°) is not high enough for regular auroras. They are possible only during strong storms Kp ≥ 6 (G3–G4), a few times a year.
How do magnetic storms affect residents of England?+
At Kp ≥ 5 weather-sensitive people may experience blood pressure swings, headaches, sleep disturbances. Effects are moderate due to low geomagnetic latitude. However, strong G3+ storms can cause noticeable discomfort even here.
What Kp is needed to see an aurora in England?+
By our estimate — Kp ≥ 6 (based on the regional mean of 54.3° geomagnetic latitude). The threshold is lower in the north of the region and higher in the south. For a specific city, open its page and check the «Aurora visibility threshold» section.
Where is the best place to watch auroras in England?+
Best conditions are at the northernmost city in our database (Newcastle upon Tyne, 55.0° N). The further north, the higher the geomagnetic latitude and the more frequent the auroras. Also important: clear sky, no city light pollution, and observation around local midnight.
What is the nearest magnetic observatory?+
The nearest observatory is Lviv, at 1751 km from the centre of England. It belongs to the INTERMAGNET network and records the geomagnetic field in real time.
About magnetic storms: England
Magnetic storms in England (United Kingdom) today: planetary Kp = 3.0 (quiet). The database holds 99 cities in the region with live geomagnetic data and forecasts.
Pick a city from the list to see detailed information: local time, geomagnetic latitude, distance to the nearest magnetic observatory, 3-day Kp chart with forecast and aurora visibility chance. All cities in England use the same planetary Kp, but the local impact is computed individually per coordinates.
How a magnetic storm may manifest in England: at Kp ≥ 5, weather-sensitive people can have headaches, blood-pressure swings, sleep disruption. At Kp ≥ 7, GPS navigation and shortwave radio may glitch. At Kp ≥ 8 — power-grid issues. Data from NOAA SWPC, updated every 10 minutes.
Inside England, geomagnetic latitude varies from 52.6° to 57.0°, with a mean of 54.3°. The northernmost city, Newcastle upon Tyne, gets aurora visibility opportunities first when Kp climbs; the 4.4° south-to-north spread is enough to put neighbouring cities into very different storm-response groups.
The nearest magnetic observatory tracking conditions over England is Lviv. Combined with the planetary Kp index from NOAA SWPC, this station gives the closest reference point for how the local magnetic field behaves during storms in this part of United Kingdom.