BOULDER, Colorado – Skywatchers across the northern United States could be treated to a rare autumn display tonight as a strong geomagnetic storm reaches Earth, potentially sparking vivid northern lights from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Northwest.
According to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, a G3 (Strong) Geomagnetic Storm Watch remains in effect through Friday night and early Saturday (Nov. 7 UTC). The storm is being triggered by a pair of coronal mass ejections (CMEs)—massive bursts of solar material that erupted from the Sun on November 5. The first CME is expected to deliver a partial impact overnight, followed by another weaker disturbance late Saturday into Sunday.
“If magnetic field conditions align just right, auroras could be visible as far south as Oregon, the Dakotas, the Great Lakes, and possibly the northern Plains,” NOAA scientists said. Residents in those areas are encouraged to look north after dark for green or red glows on the horizon, especially in darker, rural locations.
The storm may cause minor effects to satellite operations, power grids, and GPS accuracy, though no major disruptions are expected. The Space Weather Prediction Center continues to monitor activity closely and urges the public to follow spaceweather.gov for real-time updates.
