A G3-rated geomagnetic storm, caused by a coronal mass ejection from the sun, is forecasted to bring the aurora borealis to northern skies in 15 US states and Canada on December 9th. States like Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and others have the best chance to witness the display.
Aurora borealis, or the northern lights , illuminates the night sky on October 11, 2024 in Shelburne, Toronto, Canada. may be seen in northern skies from 15 northern U.S. states and Canada on Tuesday, Dec.
9, according to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center. The forecast includes aIt’s the result of a coronal mass ejection — a cloud of charged particles leaving the sun and traveling towards Earth — on Dec. 6 in the wake of an M8.1-rated solar flare.The latest forecast calls for a G3-rated geomagnetic storm after dark in North America on Tuesday, Nov. 9 as a CME heads straight for Earth. “If it is as potent as NOAA thinks, it could spark auroras from the Arctic Circle to mid-latitude US states,” according tostates that G3 geomagnetic storm levels are likely on Dec. 9, “with a small chance of briefly approaching G4 storming if the Bz turns strongly southward.” Bz refers to how easily solar energy enters Earth’s magnetosphere. When Bz points north, Earth’s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in. A sustained southward Bz of −5 nT or stronger usually signals a substorm — an imminent display of aurora. Forecasts — including Bz — are available on apps like SpaceWeatherLive, Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast or Glendale Aurora.indicate that aurora displays are a possibility in northern U.S. states and Canada, with 14 U.S. states having a chance after dark on Tuesday, Dec. 9. U.S. states that may see aurora include Alaska and Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Idaho, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. States at more northerly latitudes will have the best chance of glimpsing aurora.The solar wind — streams of charged particles flowing from the sun and interacting with Earth’s magnetic field is what causes the Northern Lights. While most particles are deflected, some spiral along magnetic field lines toward the poles, colliding with oxygen and nitrogen atoms high in the atmosphere. These collisions excite the gases, causing them to release energy as shimmering light. With the sun now beyond solar maximum — the peak of its 11-year cycle — solar activity is calming. However, the few years after the peak can see intense outbursts, as appears to be the case in late-2025, with a spate of
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