The Met Office and space weather

Space weather is recognised as a significant potential threat by the UK Government. Solar storms were added to the National Risk Register (NRR) of Civil Emergencies in 2011. MOSWOC provides the vital information to help build the resilience of UK infrastructure and industries in the face of space weather events, thereby supporting continued economic growth.

Current space weather services

The Met Office provides 24/7 forecasts and warnings of space weather  for Government and responder communities, critical national infrastructure providers and the public and will continue to develop its forecast capability  

For more information, please see Space weather forecasts or view the product catalogue.

Why is space weather such a threat?

Severe space weather events can have potentially significant impacts on the UK's critical national infrastructure.

The Sun is in constant flux and the impact of this solar activity is more apparent as people become more reliant on technology and systems such as satellites, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), also known as Global Positioning System (GPS), power and radio communications.

Solar flares can cause high-frequency radio and GNSS to perform erratically, extreme CMEs can put power grids at risk. Therefore, space weather prediction is of crucial importance to power companies, satellite operators and the aviation industry.

For more information, please see What is space weather?

Working in partnership

Met Office staff work with partners around the world to develop space weather forecasting capability and share knowledge about space weather and its impacts.  

 

 

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