Strong Solar Flare May Bring Visible Northern Lights to 22 U.S. States Sunday Night

Over the weekend, the sun, currently in an active phase of Solar Cycle 25, unleashed a powerful X4.5 solar flare, offering residents in at least 22 U.S. states the chance to see the northern lights on Sunday night. The flare, detected by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), is expected to generate strong geomagnetic storms, potentially making the aurora visible across the northern parts of the country.

The states where the northern lights may be seen include Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Areas closest to the red view line on the SWPC forecast map will have the highest chance of seeing the lights.

The flare, categorized as an X-class flare—the strongest type of solar flare measured—could also disrupt high-frequency communication, power systems, and GPS navigation. Despite these potential challenges, the geomagnetic storm, classified as G3 on a five-point scale, is expected to bring the northern lights as far south as Illinois and Oregon.

The flare, detected by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), is expected to generate strong geomagnetic storms.Photo byNOAA