A significant geomagnetic storm, similar to the one that caused widespread auroras in unusual locations in May, could bring the northern lights to the Chicago area, with many sightings reported across much of the eastern United States.
Geomagnetic storm G4 is currently affecting Earth, with a phenomenon caused by a large coronal mass ejection that began affecting the Earth’s atmosphere Thursday morning, and whose effects could continue for at least two days.
In fact, the storm is so strong that if skies are clear Thursday evening, the Northern Lights could be seen as far south as Alabama and northern California, and could be visible over the entire state of Illinois.
The northern lights are usually only visible at higher latitudes, but instances like this week’s geomagnetic storm can make these particles visible at greater distances.
The latest update from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center shows the Chicago area and much of Illinois have a chance of seeing the phenomenon.
Fluctuations in the number of solar particles hitting Earth’s atmosphere are difficult to predict, officials say, but the effects of the CME could linger for several days.
Although the lights can be visible to the naked eye, photos taken with digital cameras can make the auroras more visible.
The solar storm could impact communications, which could hamper rescue efforts in the wake of Hurricane Milton. Officials say systems that “depend on low-Earth orbit satellites or high-frequency communications” could be disrupted, as well as GPS navigation systems.
There are tools to help mitigate these issues, and FEMA has infrastructure to help prevent the worst impacts, according to SWPC.
The northern lights are enhanced when coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, erupt from the sun and speed through space before hitting Earth’s atmosphere. According to the SWPC, CMEs are “large explosions of plasma and magnetized particles originating from the solar corona.” These ejections increase in size as they approach Earth’s atmosphere and can cause geomagnetic storms upon arrival.
The Northern Lights occur when these charged particles strike the Earth’s magnetic field, interacting with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere and producing bright, wavy colors in the sky.
