Strong solar storms this year have triggered sparkling auroras much further south than normal, including in Portugal, filling the skies with shades of pink, purple, green and blue.

The sun is currently at the peak of its 11-year cycle, making solar flares and the aurora borealis more frequent, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

This active period is expected to last at least another year, although when solar activity will peak will not be known until months after the fact, according to the US Space Agency (NASA) and the US Agency for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA).

This solar cycle produced more colorful auroras further south and more are likely to appear, highlighted NASA's Kelly Korreck.

“We can still get some good shows in the coming months”, assured the scientist.

These storms can also temporarily disrupt power and communications.

Before a solar flare, NOAA warns operators of power plants and spacecraft in orbit.

In May, NOAA issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning. The storm that hit Earth was the strongest in more than two decades, producing aurora borealis across the northern hemisphere.

That same month, scientists recorded the Sun's largest eruption, but Earth was out of the way.

Previous solar cycles have produced storms more intense than those in May, so space meteorologists are keeping an eye on the Sun to prepare for any major disturbances, said NOAA's Bill Murtagh.

Last week, a powerful solar storm dazzled skywatchers far from the Arctic Circle as auroras appeared in unexpected places, including Germany, the United Kingdom, New England and New York.