Northern Lights Visible Across Northern U.S. Due to Geomagnetic Storm
A geomagnetic storm is expected to make the aurora borealis visible in several northern U.S. states, with potential minor impacts on power systems and radio communications.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted a geomagnetic storm for Thursday night, potentially making the aurora borealis visible across several northern U.S. states. This phenomenon is due to coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field.
The aurora may be observable in parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, South Dakota, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Most of Alaska is also within the viewing area.
CMEs are bursts of plasma from the Sun's outer atmosphere that can cause geomagnetic storms upon reaching Earth. NOAA predicts mild to moderate storms, rated G1 or G2 on a five-point scale. These storms can lead to weak power grid fluctuations and minor impacts on satellite operations.
NOAA also anticipates a 60% chance of minor to moderate radio blackouts over the next three days due to solar flares. Stronger flares could cause temporary loss of radio contact for about an hour.
For optimal viewing of the northern lights, NOAA recommends traveling north toward Earth's magnetic pole, finding a location with a clear northern view, and observing between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.