An annual gathering that brings together industry, academia, and government agencies for a dynamic exchange on space weather, the Space Weather Workshop began in 1996 as a forum for the space weather user community and has now grown into the nation’s premier event dedicated to all aspects of space weather.
The 2026 Space Weather Workshop will be held in person along with a virtual component from April 27th through May 1st, 2026 in Boulder, Colorado at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Boulder.
The event will explore the wide-ranging impacts of space weather on modern technology, and feature a program that highlights effects on communications, navigation, spacecraft operations, human space exploration, aviation, space traffic coordination, and electric power systems. Discussions will also focus on the most pressing needs for operational services, guiding future research and the development of new high-value capabilities for real-world applications. The workshop serves as a vital platform for fostering collaboration among researchers, space weather service providers and end users.
This meeting brings together federal agencies, the academic community, the private sector, and international partners to focus on the diverse impacts of space weather, on forecasting techniques, and on recent scientific advances in understanding and predicting conditions in the space environment.
There will also be two exclusive guided tours of NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, CO. Back by popular demand, the tour offers a unique opportunity to delve into the world of space weather forecasting. From solar storms to geomagnetic activity, those attending the tour will discover how the center plays a crucial role in safeguarding our planet.
Registration can be found here hosted by Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS): https://cpaess.ucar.edu/meetings/2026-space-weather-workshop
The Space Weather Workshop is organized by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS), along with a community-based organizing committee and co-sponsored by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, the NSF Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, and the NASA Heliophysics Division.
What is space weather?
Space Weather refers to variations in the space environment between the sun and Earth (and throughout the solar system) that can affect technologies in space and on Earth. Space weather is primarily driven by solar storm phenomenon that include coronal mass ejections, solar flares, solar particle events and solar wind. These phenomena can occur in various regions on the sun’s surface, but only Earth directed solar storms are potential drivers of space weather events on Earth. An understanding of solar storm phenomena is an important component to developing accurate space weather forecasts (event onset, location, duration, and magnitude).
Why does space weather matter?
Space weather is a global issue. Unlike terrestrial weather events, like a hurricane, space weather has the potential to impact not only the United States, but wider geographic regions. These complex events can have significant economic consequences and have the potential to negatively affect numerous sectors, including communications, satellite and airline operations, manned space flights, navigation and surveying systems, as well as the electric power grid.
Click HERE for the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Toolkit and outreach resources.
Click HERE to navigate to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center home page.
