NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center warns The impending geomagnetic storm could cause spectacular aurora borealis in the Northern Hemisphere, as well as intermittent communication disruptions.
The center said its satellite detected at least one flare and coronal mass ejection from the sun on Friday.
Auroras occur when charged particles from the sun interact with Earth’s atmosphere, producing what are known as aurora borealis and southern lights.
On a five-point scale for geomagnetic storms, space experts believe the first wave of energy could rank as G1 or G2, but could rise to G3 on Monday.
G1 magnitude geomagnetic storms are the weakest and typically produce aurora borealis over Alaska and Canada.
G3 ratings indicate that if skies are clear, the aurora can be seen as far south as Washington, Wisconsin, and New York.
The amount of geomagnetic activity is also monitored by ground-based magnetometers, and the phenomenon is measured on the Kp index scale, which ranges from 0 to 9.
A G3 event with high Kp index values led to the discovery of aurora borealis as far south as Las Vegas in December.
Space experts believe the upcoming event could reach a Kp index value of at least 6, potentially bringing cities such as Seattle, Minneapolis, Green Bay, and Syracuse, New York into the visible range.
“The public should not be concerned, but may wish to stay informed,” SWPC said.
The FOX Prediction Center predicts there will be plenty of obstructions in the sky Sunday and Monday night, which could make viewing difficult.
A major storm will move through the center of the country, bringing with it lots of showers and thunderstorms.
In addition to increased cloud cover, March’s full worm moon will illuminate the sky and block the visibility of other celestial bodies.
The moon will also cause a lunar eclipse, starting just before 1 a.m. EDT Monday and lasting until about 5:30 a.m., when it passes through Earth’s shadow.
Space experts acknowledge that determining the exact strength of geomagnetic activity is difficult, even if it occurs more frequently.
The number of geomagnetic storms has increased in the last year as the sun begins to reach the maximum phase of its solar cycle.
A solar cycle is a sequence in which the sun’s magnetic field passes through every 11 years, causing the field to reverse. Solar cycle 25 begins in his 2019 year and may last until 2030.
