Chicago, Illinois – A brief overnight window could bring a rare glimpse of the northern lights to parts of northern Illinois as a solar storm peaks late Sunday.
According to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm will intensify between 11 p.m. Sunday and 2 a.m. Monday, pushing aurora visibility farther south into the Midwest. The activity is fueled by lingering solar eruption energy combined with a fast-moving solar wind stream.
The best chance for visibility will be across northern Illinois, particularly near the Wisconsin border. Cities like Rockford, Waukegan, and even parts of the Chicago metro could see faint green or pink light bands low on the northern horizon, especially in areas away from dense city lighting.
Drivers along I-90 and I-94 may notice an unusual glow in the sky overnight, though no travel impacts are expected. For clearer viewing, residents should head to darker, open areas and allow time for their eyes to adjust.
Cloud cover may limit visibility at times, but breaks could develop overnight. Elevated geomagnetic activity may linger into early Monday, with additional updates possible if storm strength increases.
