Auroras could spread over the Great Lakes region and the northern parts of the United States early this week as we enter into a geomagnetic storm watch window.
A CME or coronal mass ejection – an eruption of material from the surface of the sun – happened on Sunday and should reach the Earth by Tuesday. Any ensuing Northern Lights could linger from Tuesday into Wednesday, scientists from the NOAA and National Weather Service said.
A Level 2 Geomagnetic Storm Watch is currently in place. This is considered a moderate solar storm watch.
“CME influences from a filament eruption that occurred early on 8 Sep should arrive by midday on 10 Sep (UTC) and will likely cause moderate geomagnetic storming effects,” the federal Space Weather Prediction Center posted on social media this weekend. “Any geomagnetic storming effects that linger into 11 Sep (UTC) will likely taper off into minor storming levels. Stay in the loop with https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/forecast-discussion for evolving forecasts and analysis of this event.”
The aurora may be spotted over the Great Lakes Region on Tuesday and into Wednesday this week, according to the NOAA.NOAA/NWS
The current NOAA forecast says: “The elevated conditions are expected to persist into 09 Sep. G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storming is likely on 10 Sep due to the arrival of the aforementioned filament eruption that
occurred early on 08 Sep.”