A powerful geomagnetic storm started impacting Earth’s atmosphere early Sunday morning, and if it continues, the Northern Lights could be visible over the Chicago area this evening.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the geomagnetic storm hit a G4 classification, designating it a “severe geomagnetic storm” capable of making the Northern Lights visible as far south as Texas and parts of Alabama and Mississippi.
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WATCH HEREA coronal mass ejection arrived at Earth’s magnetosphere on Sunday morning, and impacts could persist into the morning hours of Monday.
For Chicago-area residents, a continuing geomagnetic storm could make the Northern Lights visible, as mostly clear skies are expected across the region on Sunday night and into Monday morning.
Some areas could still be impacted by the presence of wildfire smoke aloft from fires burning in southern Canada, which could hinder the ability of residents to see the Northern Lights if that storm continues, however.
According to the SWPC, coronal mass ejections like the one impacting Earth on Sunday carry charged atoms known as “ions.” When those ions collide with Earth’s magnetosphere, they release energy in the form of light, causing the phenomenon known as the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis.
Those lights tend to occur in different colors, including red, pink and green, and are generally only visible at higher latitudes. Stronger geomagnetic storms can push that display further south, with a G4-classified storm potentially visible across most of the continental United States.
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Storms tend to fluctuate in intensity, making them hard to predict, so residents are urged to be patient if they’re hoping to see a show on Sunday night.
In addition to the Northern Lights, geomagnetic storms can also have impacts on power grids, communication networks and GPS systems, but most companies and utilities are able to activate safeguards in such events to minimize disruptions.
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SIGN UP For the most up-to-date information on the storm, residents can visit the SWPC’s website or Facebook feed.
