NOAA Issues G2 Geomagnetic Storm Watch for US Aurora Visibility

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a watch for a moderate G2 geomagnetic storm expected to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday and continue through 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, potentially making the northern lights visible across a wide swath of northern U.S. states farther south than typical.

The storm stems from a coronal mass ejection, a large burst of solar material and magnetic fields from the sun's outer atmosphere. When these charged particles reach Earth, they interact with gases in the upper atmosphere, exciting them to produce the colorful auroral displays known as the northern lights. Forecasters anticipate peak activity in the early morning hours of Thursday, with a possibility of conditions strengthening to a G3 level, which could extend visibility even lower latitudes.

According to NOAA's aurora viewline map, the lights could appear overhead or on the northern horizon in states including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. If the storm intensifies, faint glows might be...