Heads up, aurora chasers! Earth’s magnetic field is about to experience a one-two punch from the Sun, and the result could be an impressive show of northern lights stretching into mid-latitudes. According to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are heading toward Earth, caused by a rare double eruption of solar magnetic filaments on April 12 and April 13. The CMEs are expected to hit Earth on April 16, and the SWPC has issued a geomagnetic storm watch for the event.
What’s in Store: A Geomagnetic Storm Watch
The CMEs are predicted to create G2-class (moderate) geomagnetic storm conditions, which could increase the chances of visible auroras not only in Canada but also in the northern U.S. states, including New York and Idaho. These solar storms will likely travel slowly but are dense and could pack a decent punch, according to Space Weather Physicist Tamitha Skov.
“These solar storms will likely travel slowly, but they are dense and could pack a decent punch!” Skov wrote in a post. She further added, “Still waiting for coronagraph data to inform model runs, but impact could be late April 15 or early April 16.”
What to Expect
The northern lights could be visible as far south as New York, where auroras have previously been seen dancing over Bear Mountain. However, timing the CME impact is tricky, as space weather, like terrestrial weather, is highly unpredictable. Geomagnetic activity is expected to increase late on April 15 or early April 16, with the peak happening during the day.
Even if the CMEs hit Earth, the intensity of auroras depends on the magnetic field alignment of the solar particles. If the solar storm aligns well with Earth’s magnetosphere, spectacular displays of northern lights could occur. But if Earth’s magnetic field blocks the CME, aurora chasers might be left with only a faint glimpse of the aurora.
