An extreme geomagnetic storm is expected to produce Northern Lights visible across Canada and the U.S. the evening of Oct. 10 and into the morning of Oct. 11.
On Oct. 8, scientists observed an intense coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun traveling toward Earth at more than 4 million kilometers per hour. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a G4 Severe Storm Watch, warning of potential communications disruptions, GPS issues, and possible power outages. NOAA says watches of this level are extremely rare, and the aurora borealis could be visible as far south as Alabama.
A CME occurs when solar material and magnetic fields erupt from the Sun due to intense activity. When this material is captured by Earth’s magnetic fields, it excites gases in the atmosphere, creating auroras.
This is the second major CME to strike Earth in the past week, a result of increased solar activity as the Sun reaches the peak of its 11-year solar cycle.
