Northern Lights May Appear in 22 US States Tonight
Auroras are expected to be visible from Alaska to Illinois as geomagnetic storm conditions continue tonight. Earth is preparing for the impact of a strong coronal mass ejection (CME) launched from the sun during yesterday's M7.4 solar flare.
Coronal Mass Ejection and Geomagnetic Storms
The fast-moving CME is predicted to arrive late tonight or early Friday morning (Nov. 7, UTC), potentially causing strong (G3) geomagnetic storm conditions, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.
Earlier, a surprise aurora display occurred overnight when a glancing CME combined with residual effects from a high-speed solar wind stream, pushing geomagnetic activity to G3 levels and sparking northern lights across the northern U.S., Canada, and Europe.
Current Storm Watches and Forecast
- The UK Met Office and NOAA have issued G3 storm watches for November.
- If the CME arrives as expected and its magnetic orientation aligns well with Earth's magnetic field, auroras could intensify, visible across high and possibly mid-latitude regions.
Space weather physicist Tamitha Skov called this forecast "an aurora photographer's dream starting now and lasting at least through the weekend," warning that G3 to G4 storm levels might occur by Friday as multiple CMEs interact with Earth's magnetic field.
Summary: A powerful solar event is likely to produce spectacular auroras over many U.S. states tonight, with strong geomagnetic storms expected to enhance visibility through the weekend.