(Nexstar) – Another geomagnetic storm could bring the Northern Lights to parts of the United States overnight.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G2-level geomagnetic storm warning on Monday, saying a coronal mass ejection (CME) is expected to impact Earth on Wednesday.
According to the Southwestern Water and Electric CompanyThe CME aura exploded on Sunday. Before its arrival, the SWPC warned of small solar radiation storm The event began on Monday night.
While these terms may sound scary, this geomagnetic activity will likely go unnoticed by many people — except, of course, for those lucky enough to see the Northern Lights as a result.
Solar storms, including coronal mass ejections, are what cause the northern lights. When plasma and magnetic material ejected by coronal mass ejections from the Sun collide with Earth’s magnetic field, they send particles flying toward the north and south poles. When these particles interact with gases in the atmosphere, they create excess energy that appears as flashes of light, known as aurora borealis.
The stronger the geomagnetic storm (the term used to describe the effects of the above-mentioned solar activity), the further south the northern lights will be visible in the United States.
Like hurricanes and tornadoes, geomagnetic storms are measured on a five-point scale. At the low end is a G1, which is considered minor but strong enough to make the northern lights visible in the northern United States, such as Maine and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A G5 storm, described as severe, can send the northern lights as far south as Florida and southern Texas.
While the Geospatial Prediction Center initially issued a G2 warning, the forecast (as shown below) places the expected geomagnetic activity at G1.
Unfortunately for those living in the southern part of the United States, this means that any northern lights bright enough to shine from Tuesday night into Wednesday will only be visible to states closest to the Canadian border.
The SWPC Astronomy Prediction Center’s forecast for Tuesday indicates there is a slight chance of seeing the celestial show for those in northern parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Those in parts of Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine may also catch a glimpse of the northern lights along the northern horizon.
We’ve already seen a few strong geomagnetic storms (and with them bouts of auroral activity) this year, including some that brought the northern lights to Florida and Hawaii.
Although these types of storms are difficult to predict, experts say there is a good chance we will see more of them next year.
The Sun is currently going through a solar cycle, an 11-year period in which its poles flip. As it reaches the peak of the cycle, the Sun also becomes more active.
The best part? We don’t seem to have gotten anywhere near it. Solar cycle 25 peak.
We may not reach solar maximum for a few months, Mark Mish“More powerful solar storms are expected throughout the rest of this year, throughout 2025, and possibly into 2026,” a researcher at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center told Nexstar.
If current forecasts hold true and solar maximum activity continues over the coming months, at least some Americans will have a chance to see the northern lights again soon. As for whether they will reach Florida and Hawaii again, we’ll have to wait.
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