At the Met Office headquarters, a set of screens in the control center display detailed images of the Sun. A specialized team, one of only a few in the world, monitors space weather 24/7, 365 days a year. This field, known as space weather forecasting, is crucial because changes in the Earth's magnetic field—caused by solar activity—can disrupt technologies like GPS, power grids, and satellites. To enhance its forecasting capabilities, the Met Office has partnered with researchers from Aberystwyth University. Space weather is primarily driven by the Sun's activity, such as solar flares—intense bursts of radiation. These events can have significant impacts on Earth, which is why the UK government has included severe space weather in its National Risk Register. According to a 2025 estimate by Lloyds, a major space weather event could cost the global economy up to $2.4 trillion over five years. Since 2014, the Met Office has worked with key infrastructure operators to produce forecasts using both ground-based equipment and satellites in space. Richard Stone, a member of the space forecasting team, said this allows them to "diagnose anything happening on the Sun's surface, provide a forecast, and alert the relevant users to take mitigating actions." However, he noted that while the technology is impressive, it is still in early stages and limited in its observations. Despite being able to detect solar events up to three days before they reach Earth, scientists only have a short window—about an hour—to accurately predict their impact once the event reaches satellites around one million miles away. This limited observation time is akin to seeing a storm on the east coast of America and then not having any data until it reaches Ireland. To address these limitations, the Met Office has partnered with a group of researchers led by Professor Huw Morgan of Aberystwyth University. Morgan emphasized that early warnings can help mitigate the dangers of space weather, such as allowing the National Grid to prepare for potential power outages or enabling airlines to reroute flights to safer areas. Space weather forecasting is still a developing science compared to predicting Earth's weather. Scientists can predict which years will be more active for space weather events based on the Sun's 11-year activity cycle. The Sun reached its peak activity, known as the Solar Maximum, in 2024, which is why more people saw the Northern Lights. However, thanks to improved forecasting and mitigation strategies, the impact on Earth has been minimal. The 1859 Carrington Event, a powerful geomagnetic storm, is often used as a benchmark for worst-case scenarios. During this event, auroras were visible globally, and telegraph systems experienced disruptions. Today, the concern is that a similar event could have far more severe consequences due to our reliance on modern technology. The impacts of space weather are not limited to Earth either—astronauts in space are also exposed to radiation, highlighting the need for better protection as future missions venture further from Earth.