Tonight and tomorrow (December 30-December 31) we may have a New Year’s Eve treat, with the Northern Lights likely to be visible deep in the mid-latitudes.
Due to upcoming solar storms (also known as solar storms) coronal mass ejection (CME) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm warning December 31.
This is good news for those who want see the northern lights Because predicted geomagnetic storm could trigger auroras in the far south Illinois and Oregon (Around 50° latitude).
The culprit? Coronal mass ejection (CME) – a huge plume of plasma and magnetic field – launched into space December 29 Sun Earth is on the front lines. Solar astrophysicist Ryan French said that the coronal mass ejection is not alone. Several other eruptions in the past few days have also produced eruptions facing the Earth and are expected to trigger a strong geomagnetic storm on December 31.
“The sun has indeed become stronger these days and appears frequently. solar flare Including a powerful X-rated event! Post on X. “Some of these flares have produced eruptions facing the Earth, which are expected to trigger strong geomagnetic storms (bringing aurora) on the 31st!” French continued.
The sun has really gotten stronger over the past few days, with frequent solar flares, including a strong X-rated event! Some of these flares produce eruptions facing the Earth, which are expected to trigger strong geomagnetic storms (bringing auroras) on the 31st! #spaceweather pic.twitter.com/oSiBZWAM4hDecember 29, 2024
When a coronal mass ejection hits the Earth magnetospherethey bring charged particles called ions that collide with Earth’s magnetic field. These collisions could trigger geomagnetic storms. During these storms, ions collide with gases in the atmosphere, releasing energy that manifests as light. This creates a stunning display called northern lightsAurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere, Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere.
NOAA uses the G scale to classify geomagnetic storms, ranking their intensity from G1 (mild) to G5 (extreme). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently issued a geomagnetic storm monitoring rating of G3, indicating the existence of severe storm conditions.
When do geomagnetic storms occur?
The highest level of forecast activity (G1 to G3 conditions) is currently between 10pm ET on December 30 and 10am ET on December 31 (0300 GMT and 1500 GMT on December 31) between. Another wave of activity is currently expected between 4:00 PM (2100 GMT) on December 31 and 10:00 PM (January 1 GMT), with G1 conditions expected. Check NOAA’s 3-day forecast For the latest time – please note that the time is listed as UT.
please remember space weatherlike Earth’s weather, is unpredictable and difficult to predict. Although geomagnetic storm warnings of this magnitude are rare, they can sometimes be meaningless.
If you’re interested in tracking space weather and knowing when and where to spot auroras, download a space weather app that provides forecasts based on your location. One option I use is My Aurora Forecasts and Alerts, which works with both iOS system and Android. However, any similar app should work well. I also use the “Space Weather Live” app which is Available on iOS and Androidto gain a deeper understanding of whether current space weather conditions are conducive to auroral observations.