The Sun's rotating magnetic field is believed to have the ability to "pull" lightning towards land.
Researchers noticed the U.K. experienced about 50 percent more lightning strikes when the Earth's magnetic field is skewed the magnetic field of the Sun, the Institute of Physics reported.
The Earth's magnetic field works to keep particles, such as lightning bolt-triggering galactic cosmic rays, out of the atmosphere.
The findings could lead to a reliable lightning forecast system that could predict dangerous events weeks in advance.
"We've discovered that the Sun's powerful magnetic field is having a big influence on UK lightning rates," said lead author of the research Matt Owens. "The Sun's magnetic field is like a bar magnet, so as the Sun rotates its magnetic field alternately points toward and away from the Earth, pulling the Earth's own magnetic field one way and then another."
To make their findings the researchers looked at satellite and Met Office data collected between 2001 and 2006. The data showed a significant increase in lightning when the HMF pointed towards the Sun and away from Earth.
"From our results, we propose that galactic cosmic rays are [channeled ]to different locations around the globe, which can trigger lightning in already charged-up thunderclouds. The changes to our magnetic field could also make thunderstorms more likely by acting like an extra battery in the atmospheric electric circuit, helping to further 'charge up' clouds," Owens said.
Since the 1970s researchers have predicted solar magnetic field polarity by looking at the Sun's surface, but did not realize it had implications on Earthly weather.
"We now plan to combine regular weather forecasts, which predict when and where thunderclouds will form, with solar magnetic field predictions. This means a reliable lightning forecast could now be a genuine possibility," Owens said.
The findings were published Nov.19 in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
