Northern Lights could be visible over Great Lakes this week

A geomagnetic storm could potentially make the Northern Lights visible over parts of the Great Lakes this week.

According to the latest updates from the SWPC, a G2 geomagnetic storm watch has been issued for the early parts of this week after a coronal mass ejection (CME) occurred on Sunday morning.

The solar materials from that CME are expected to arrive to Earth late Tuesday morning, with impacts continuing into Wednesday according to SWPC forecasts.

As a result, the Northern Lights may be visible Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning over several northern and upper Midwest states, including Wisconsin and Michigan.

It isn’t expected at this time that enough solar material will arrive at Earth to make the Northern Lights visible in the Chicago area, according to forecast models.

Typically, a G3 or greater geomagnetic storm is required to push the incredible spectacle far enough south for area residents to observe it.

Earlier this year, a G4 geomagnetic storm prompted the SWPC to issue a very rare “geomagnetic storm warning,” its first in nearly 20 years. 

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