Map: Chance for some to see northern lights sparked by ‘fast' coronal mass ejection
(NEXSTAR) — Some may have the chance to see the northern lights on Sunday thanks to an eruption of solar material colliding with Earth's atmosphere.
A coronal hole high speed stream, or CH HSS, was spotted on the sun on Friday, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center reported. A CH HSS can cause geomagnetic storms on Earth to reach G1 or G2 levels — which could, in turn, spark more northern lights.
While the SWPC warned that lower-level geomagnetic storm conditions could appear on Earth Tuesday or Wednesday, parts of the U.S. could see the northern lights Sunday night — if conditions are right.
This activity is connected to a fast-moving coronal mass ejection, or CME, that left the Sun on Friday. According to SWPC's forecasting, this CME could cause the necessary activity in our atmosphere to make the northern lights visible across the northern U.S.
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CMEs spark auroras by creating currents in Earth's magnetic fields that send particles to the North and South Poles, which then interact with oxygen and nitrogen, according to NASA.
The current forecast suggests this CME will cause the strongest geomagnetic storming late Sunday morning and into the afternoon — a less-than-ideal time for those hoping to see the northern lights. However, minor geomagnetic storm conditions are expected to continue into the nighttime hours, which may be just enough for those closest to the Canadian border to see the aurora.
The forecast below shows which areas have the best chance of catching the northern lights on Sunday. Those in red have the highest odds while those in green have lower odds. Areas at or above the red view line may also be able to see the northern lights on the northern horizon.
As usual, those with the greatest odds of catching the northern lights are in Canada and Alaska. Still, some in the Lower 48 could catch a glimpse. That includes Washington state, Montana, the northeastern portion of Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and the northern portions of Idaho, Iowa, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
This forecast could, however, change as the day goes on, depending on the activity in our atmosphere. If conditions strengthen, the aurora could appear even further south. If they weaken, fewer states may have a chance to see them.
We may get a chance to see the northern lights again mid-week. The SWPC's three-day forecast currently shows a return of minor geomagnetic storming starting Tuesday afternoon.
If you're in the shaded areas above, but can't see the northern lights with your naked eye when you step outside, you may instead want to use your phone. Our smartphones are better able to see some of the faint colors that may appear with the northern lights, giving you a chance to glimpse the aurora.
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