Northern lights, or aurora borealis, are caused when charged particles from the Sun are deflected by the Earth’s magnetic field towards the poles and end up interacting with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere.
A value between 0 and 2 suggests a weaker aurora, only visible near the poles, while a Kp of 3 to 5 hints at a “moderate aurora” likely visible further south.
Dazzling northern lights could appear in skies above northern Europe and parts of North America.
A strong stream of solar wind on its way to the Earth may spark bright northern lights on Valentine’s Day.
The agency predicted a weak disturbance of the Earth's magnetic field on Thursday and Friday by the incoming Coronal Hole High-Speed Stream.
