The Met Office is issuing an update on whether the Northern Lights could be visible on Sunday evening

Stunning displays of aurora borealis are possible in the skies over Greater Manchester on Sunday evening, but the Met Office warned that any sightings “will be greatly reduced” compared to Friday and Saturday nights due to stormy weather conditions and cloud cover.

The Met Office said Manchester Evening News Auroral activity is “projected to intensify again at times in parts of the UK on Sunday night”, with northern areas of the country “most likely” to witness the aurora borealis with clear skies.

After the stunning show on Friday night, star watchers here were largely left disappointed on Saturday night, despite thousands of people thronging the high-rise beauty spots to catch a glimpse.

READ MORE: Hour-by-hour weather forecast for Greater Manchester while the Met Office thunderstorm warning is in place

BBC weather presenter and meteorologist Simon King said at X “there’s still plenty of solar activity, so potential tonight”, although he referred to clouds and showers.

The visibility of the northern lights – also known as the aurora borealis – was increased on Friday due to an “extreme” geomagnetic storm, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

NOAA said the G5 geomagnetic storm, considered extreme and the strongest level of geomagnetic storm, hit Earth for the first time on Thursday. On Saturday night, according to the Met Office, it reached G4 strength.

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles. As they collide, light is emitted at different wavelengths, creating colorful displays in the sky.

In the Northern Hemisphere, most of this activity takes place in a band known as the auroral oval, which covers latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees. When the activity is strong, it spreads out to cover a larger area – which explains why displays can occasionally be seen as far south as the UK.

A Met Office spokesman said Manchester Evening News: “Further coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are anticipated through Sunday, May 12, although with less certainty about their arrival times and intensity compared to those that hit Earth late on Friday, May 10.

“Previous CMEs intensified aurora displays in the UK on Friday evening and intermittently in parts of the UK on Saturday evening.

“Auroral activity is expected to intensify again at times in parts of the UK on Sunday night, most likely in northern areas where skies remain clear, with only a small chance of them being visible to the naked eye in southern regions.

“The forecast is for much more cloud in many parts of the UK this evening, with heavy showers at times. Any sightings will be much reduced compared to Friday and Saturday nights. On Saturday night he reached the power of the G4″.