THE northern lights could be visible in south west skies this evening, according to stargazers and weather experts.

In recent days, the lights have been seen as far south as Kent and Cornwall, with dazzling displays set to continue tonight (February 27).

The lights are an ‘aurora’, formed by a solar flare erupting on the Sun which sends charged particles towards Earth, which in turn interact with oxygen and nitrogen in our atmosphere producing colours in the sky.

Over the weekend, sightings were reported in more southerly locations than usually expected, including in Northern Ireland, south Wales and Norfolk.

The sightings are the result of a solar flare on the Sun’s surface that was directed toward Earth.

And if skies are clear, people could spot them again tonight.

The Met Office said ‘ongoing coronal hole fast wind and coronal mass ejection effects are currently creating G1/Minor to G2/Moderate geomagnetic storms, with aurora visible north of 52-53 Degrees’.

“There is a similar expectation for later on (Monday) as another coronal mass ejection arrives and there is a chance of conditions strengthening to G3/Strong geomagnetic storm levels,” a forecaster said.

“Aurora is once again possible to similar latitudes, perhaps as far south as central or southern England should any larger storm periods occur.”