Will the Northern Lights be visible in London tonight?

The Northern Lights could make another spectacular appearance across parts of the UK tonight, according to the Met Office, following a dazzling display over the weekend.

Skywatchers across the country were treated to beautiful shades of green, pink and purple, with many capturing the rare phenomenon from their own homes.

While the aurora borealis is usually visible closer to the Arctic Circle and northern Scotland, strong levels of geomagnetic activity over the weekend meant the lights could be spotted much further south, including across Wales, Devon, Hampshire and Kent on Saturday night.

The Northern Lights were pictured as far south as Kent and Surrey over the weekend

PA Wire

Met Office forecaster Chris Dewhurst said there was a chance of the Northern Lights appearing over central and southern parts of the UK again on Monday night.

But Londoners hoping to catch a glimpse of the spectacle are likely to be disappointed.

Heavy cloud cover is expected to obscure the capital's skies throughout Monday and into the night, reducing the chances of seeing the aurora.

According to Aurora Forecast, London's overcast conditions are likely to block any potential views of the natural light display.

Even if the skies were clear, geomagnetic activity would need to be particularly strong for the Northern Lights to be visible this far south.

A Kp index of around 6 to 7 or higher is typically needed to give Londoners a reasonable chance of spotting the phenomenon, although visibility also depends on local conditions.

With activity levels expected to remain relatively low tonight, the chances of seeing the Northern Lights over the capital are slim.

Those further north, particularly in areas with clear skies and minimal light pollution, stand a better chance of witnessing the display if geomagnetic activity strengthens.