Washington, D.C. – Skywatchers across the United States were treated to a rare glimpse of the Northern Lights Monday night as a powerful geomagnetic storm reached severe levels. The event unfolded as a coronal mass ejection (CME) slammed into Earth’s magnetic field, triggering a G4-level geomagnetic storm, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center.
Shortly before 3:30 a.m. EST Tuesday, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center confirmed that severe geomagnetic storm conditions had been reached again, extending the storm into Tuesday.
Why the Northern Lights Were Less Visible Than Expected
Despite the strength of the CME, the aurora display was not as vivid or widespread as many forecasters initially predicted. Scientists explained that the solar wind’s magnetic field was pointed north — the same direction as Earth’s magnetic field.
When this happens, the two magnetic fields repel each other, preventing charged solar particles from penetrating deep into Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, fewer particles collided with atmospheric gases, limiting the brightness and reach of the aurora, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Dozens of States Had a Chance to See the Aurora
Even with reduced intensity, more than 25 states had at least a chance of spotting the Northern Lights. Viewers shared photos from Alabama, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Virginia, Minnesota, and other states. The aurora was also observed internationally, including in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Parts of the Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and sections of the western U.S. experienced favorable conditions. The best viewing opportunities were reported in the Pacific Northwest, eastern North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. In especially rare sightings, the aurora was photographed as far south as New Mexico and Alabama.
Powerful Solar Flare Triggered the Event
The geomagnetic storm originated from an X1.9-class solar flare that erupted from the sun at around 11:09 a.m. Sunday. Solar flare radiation travels at the speed of light and reached Earth in approximately eight minutes, ionizing the upper atmosphere.
That radiation caused an R3-level (strong) radio blackout over western South America and parts of the eastern South Pacific, according to NOAA data.
The flare was followed by a CME — a massive cloud of plasma and magnetic fields expelled from the sun’s corona. Unlike light-based radiation, CMEs move more slowly and act like shock waves as they travel through space.
“Agencies around the world have modeled this specific eruption and reached a consensus that the western flank of the CME will impact Earth’s magnetic field,” the FOX Forecast Center reported.
Largest Solar Radiation Storm in Decades
The Space Weather Prediction Center uses a five-point scale to classify geomagnetic storms, solar radiation storms, and radio blackouts, ranging from minor to extreme. Officials said this event ranks as the largest solar radiation storm in 23 years, highlighting its scientific significance.
A geomagnetic storm occurs when energy from the solar wind transfers efficiently into Earth’s magnetosphere, disrupting satellites, radio communications, GPS systems, and power grids in extreme cases.
More detailed reporting on this event was first highlighted by FOX Weather, which tracked the storm’s development and global impacts in real time.
What Comes Next
While geomagnetic activity is expected to gradually weaken, space weather experts continue monitoring the sun for additional eruptions. Scientists note that the current phase of the solar cycle increases the likelihood of future aurora events, especially during periods of heightened solar activity.
For now, Monday night’s storm stands as a reminder of how solar forces millions of miles away can briefly turn night skies across Earth into a natural light show.
