Boulder, Colo. – A powerful burst of solar energy is expected to reach Earth late Monday, raising the potential for widespread aurora sightings and possible disruptions to power grids, satellites, and communications across the northern United States.
According to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, a coronal mass ejection (CME) erupted from the sun on Saturday and is traveling at more than 2 million miles per hour. The CME is Earth-directed and may trigger moderate to strong geomagnetic storms, with G2 to G3 levels likely between Monday afternoon and Tuesday.
Residents across the northern tier, from Montana and North Dakota through Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, may have the best chance to see the northern lights if skies remain clear. The auroras could extend farther south depending on the storm’s strength. NOAA warns that GPS accuracy, high-frequency radio communications, and satellite operations may experience disruptions, while utilities are monitoring for possible power fluctuations.
Experts caution that the most significant impacts could occur if the CME’s magnetic field aligns favorably with Earth’s, which could briefly escalate conditions to G4 storm levels.
More updates are expected as the storm nears Earth, with watches in effect through Tuesday.
