Pittsburgh, Pa. – Skies across much of the United States could glow with the Northern Lights tonight as a strong solar storm sweeps Earth’s atmosphere. Residents from Virginia to Oregon, including parts of the Midwest, New England, and the Pacific Northwest, may catch rare aurora sightings through early Tuesday morning.
According to the National Weather Service and NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, a coronal mass ejection (CME) erupted from the sun on August 30, traveling more than 2 million mph. The solar storm is Earth-directed and expected to produce geomagnetic conditions strong enough to bring the aurora well south of its usual range.
Best viewing will come under clear, dark skies away from city lights. Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Boston, and Seattle are among the metros with a chance to see the colorful glow if cloud cover stays limited. Experts say the intensity of the display will depend on the storm’s magnetic alignment as it interacts with Earth’s atmosphere.
While the aurora poses no direct danger to the public, NOAA has alerted utility and infrastructure operators to monitor for potential impacts on satellites, GPS, and power grids. Updates on storm strength and aurora visibility will be issued overnight.
