The northern lights could be visible in Chicago and other parts of the U.S. thanks to a severe geomagnetic storm.
By Monday night, the likelihood of being able to see the northern lights in Chicago drops considerably.
The geomagnetic storm comes from a coronal mass ejection passing over Earth and other geomagnetic activity.
The ejection carries charged atoms, which cause the northern lights to be visible in the sky, the Space Weather Prediction Center says.
When a severe geomagnetic storm impacts Earth, the northern lights are visible farther south, with the most severe storms making the lights visible as far south as parts of Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.
Chicago and other U.S. cities may be able to see the northern lights. S. because of a powerful geomagnetic storm.
A storm with a G4 (severe) strength was recorded by the Space Weather Prediction Center on Sunday morning. According to the center, its effects are expected to persist into Monday morning, which means that the Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, may be seen as far south as central Illinois.
There is a greater chance of seeing the lights in the Chicago area because clear skies are predicted for Sunday night and Monday morning.
The chances of seeing the northern lights in Chicago decrease significantly by Monday night.
A coronal mass ejection that is passing over Earth and other geomagnetic activity are the causes of the geomagnetic storm. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the ejection’s carrying charged atoms are what make the northern lights visible in the sky.
Although the coronal mass ejection passage is waning, Sunday’s solar wind conditions are high enough to qualify the geomagnetic storm as severe.
The northern lights can be seen farther south when a strong geomagnetic storm strikes Earth; the strongest storms can light up areas of Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama.
Those who want to see the northern lights are advised to exercise patience when gazing up at the sky because the storm’s intensity is unpredictable and frequently changes.
GPS systems, power grids, and some communication systems may be impacted by geomagnetic activity, but most have the technology to block the interference.
