Residents of some northern US states may be able to see some spectacular aurora borealis this week after a recent series of solar storms.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center (SWPC) announced that multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have been released from the Sun and are heading towards Earth.
“Solar activity increased throughout the weekend, with a variety of phenomena associated with the CME, including solar flares and filament eruptions,” the NOAA publication said.
“Due to the events early on the 27th of July, it has been determined that some of these CMEs have an Earth-directed component and may have begun to arrive as of yesterday, the 29th.”
A series of other CMEs are also occurring, and the time it takes for the ejecta to travel through Earth’s magnetic field suggests it will arrive on June 30th and continue through the 31st.
NOAA reported that more CMEs are still possible.
“Due to the number of active regions and the resulting complex sunspot systems, more CMEs continue to erupt from the Sun and more are likely to arrive,” the Weather Prediction Center reported.
The center said a geomagnetic storm watch has been issued and will remain in effect until Wednesday.
Earlier this summer, after the most powerful geomagnetic storm in two decades, the dancing lights of the aurora borealis were visible across the United States, even in some southern states.
“Powerful X-class solar flares can cause high-frequency radio interference, while CMEs’ charged particles create the beautiful dance of lights known as the aurora, or northern lights,” Fox Weather reported.
NASA satellites observed the CME as it traveled away from the Sun and on an orbit toward Earth’s magnetic field.
The SWPC website monitors the CME and provides forecasts for tonight and tomorrow, as well as maps showing where you might be able to see the Northern Lights and which U.S. states you can enjoy them in.
Ahead of July 30th, Fox Weather detailed that “a G2 (moderate) level geomagnetic storm is possible between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. ET early Tuesday morning.”
“The most intense solar storms, at G3 (strong) level, will occur during daylight hours for most of the eastern U.S. between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. EST.”
While the reported arrival of other CMEs could lead to more sightings this week, the G3 sighting means people in northern U.S. states and parts of the Midwest may catch a glimpse of the light.
Weather also plays a big role in aurora visibility.
Fox Weather reported that most of Canada and most northern states in the United States will have good weather for viewing the aurora.
“Most of Canada and the northern United States will see very nice weather Monday night into early Tuesday morning, with few clouds expected in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Casper, Wyoming and Buffalo, New York.”
Over the night of Tuesday into Wednesday, Fox 5 New York noted that “intense geomagnetic storm conditions could result in the aurora being visible in locations such as Chicago, Casper, Wyoming and Iowa…Cloud cover across the upper Midwest and Northeast will make viewing conditions good to poor.”
