The natural light show could be in full view in several northern Midwestern states on Monday evening.
This is evident from a geomagnetic storm warning for Monday evening from the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Simply put, the storm could bring the northern lights to light in areas of the northern U.S. The outbreak of auroras follows a coronal mass ejection that was launched from the sun on Saturday and is expected to arrive at Earth on Monday night.
Once the eruption reaches Earth, a beautiful aurora is created, creating a dazzling light show.
Forecasters say the best time to see the Northern Lights will be between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. ET on Monday. The areas expected to see the most activity in the U.S. are the northern Midwest states like Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
What is a coronal mass ejection?
A coronal mass ejection is a large plume of plasma and magnetic field released from the sun during a solar flare described as an X-class solar flare. According to Space.com, these types of flares are the most powerful class of solar flares. These types of ejections carry electrically charged atoms, known as ions.
These ions are the cause of the Northern Lights, because when they interact with our planet's magnetosphere, the phenomenon can occur. Gases and ions interact in our atmosphere, creating all the colors in the night sky.
What are the effects of a geomagnetic storm?
According to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, storms like the one forecasted can cause voltage fluctuations in power grids, potentially triggering false alarms in some security systems.
GPS systems can also experience temporary problems.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can You See the Northern Lights Tonight? Check the US Weather Forecast
