Northern Lights Forecast for January 2025

Aurora Activity in Early January 2025

The aurora borealis has been a stunning spectacle over the past few days, visible across a broad swath of Europe, and even reaching mid-latitudes that typically don't experience auroras. Heightened solar activity, including significant solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), has intensified geomagnetic storms, pushing the aurora oval further south.

Recent Aurora Sightings:

• Northern Europe: The northern lights were visible across Scandinavia, including in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. Locations like Tromsø, Rovaniemi, and Reykjavik reported vibrant displays, especially in the night sky from January 1-3, 2025.
• Central Europe: There were reports of auroras being seen as far south as Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. In Poland, residents in the northern regions like Gdańsk and Gdynia reported stunning red and green auroras visible without the need for telescopic equipment.
• Britain and Ireland: On January 1, 2025, the aurora was visible as far south as Scotland and Ireland, particularly in rural and dark sky areas such as the Isle of Skye and County Mayo. It was one of the most vibrant displays in these areas in recent years.
• Eastern Europe and the Balkans: There were reports from Serbia, Hungary, and even Bulgaria of the aurora being visible during the first week of January, which is uncommon for these locations. Cities like Belgrade and Sofia saw the lights stretching over the horizon.
• Mediterranean Region: The rare auroral event even extended further south, with reports coming in from Italy and Romania in early January, thanks to heightened solar activity. Northern regions, including Milan and Bologna, had brief, but noticeable, auroral activity visible in the night skies.

Solar Activity Driving the Aurora:

The spectacular auroral displays were driven by heightened solar activity, particularly from January 1, 2025, when a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) struck Earth, sparking geomagnetic storms. These solar events pushed the aurora oval to much lower latitudes, making the lights visible in locations not typically associated with aurora sightings. This phenomenon continued into the first days of January 2025, with X-class solar flares adding to the solar wind intensity, further enhancing aurora activity.

The CME on January 1, 2025, was particularly impactful, and was followed by additional flares and geomagnetic disturbances over the next few days. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center also reported that X1.1 and M2.3 class solar flares during the first few days of January contributed to the increased geomagnetic activity. For more detailed reports and updates, check out the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center for real-time data on solar winds and geomagnetic conditions.

What to Expect: Aurora Forecast

With the solar activity remaining elevated, aurora sightings are expected to continue throughout January. The next few days may see slightly calmer conditions, but further solar flares or CMEs could quickly intensify geomagnetic storms again.

• January 4-6, 2025: Moderate geomagnetic activity is expected. Auroras will be visible at high latitudes in regions like Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The aurora oval will likely extend southward to Scotland, northern Germany, and northern Poland.
• January 7-9, 2025: Increased solar wind expected due to a CME forecasted to hit Earth. This could trigger another round of geomagnetic storms, making auroras visible further south. Mid-latitude countries like the Netherlands, France, and possibly even England might experience aurora sightings.
• January 10-12, 2025: A quieter period is predicted with low geomagnetic activity, reducing the chances of auroras at lower latitudes. However, aurora enthusiasts should still keep an eye on the skies, especially in northern Europe.

For those hoping to see the auroras live, visit our Aurora Webcams page to experience the beauty of the northern lights in real time from top locations across the globe.