A geomagnetic storm watch at the G2, or moderate, level was issued for Friday, 9 October, according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. USA Today reports that the northern lights may be visible across parts of the United States over the weekend.
The watch was prompted by a coronal mass ejection, or CME, heading toward Earth, according to the outlet Space. Space reported that the storm could make the aurora visible across the northern United States on 8–9 October.
Separately, the AKIpress News Agency reported that scientists detected the strongest solar flare since late summer and were monitoring it for a possible geomagnetic impact. Jagranjosh.com described the same solar activity as a "solar tsunami" expected to reach Earth in October, and noted predictions of its effects.
A coronal mass ejection is a burst of solar material flung outward from the sun. When such material reaches Earth's magnetic field, it can trigger a geomagnetic storm, and storms of this kind can push the aurora to lower latitudes than usual. The G2 designation indicates a moderate storm on the scale used by forecasters.
The reporting does not specify exact viewing locations or times beyond the northern US and the weekend window. Aurora visibility also depends on local cloud cover and darkness, factors not addressed in the material cited here.
What to watch next: updated forecasts from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, which can revise the storm's strength and the aurora's expected reach as the CME arrives.
