(NEXSTAR) – Northern U.S. states from New York to Washington and possibly as far as Iowa may be able to see the Northern Lights on Sunday, current forecasts show.

In an alert issued Sunday morning, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center warned of a moderate geomagnetic storm triggered by an Earth-driven coronal mass ejection (CME).

CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic material from the Sun that can do thisEffects on navigation, communication and radio signalson earth. They are also able to cause auroras by creating currents in the Earth’s magnetic fields that send particles to the north and south poles, which then interact with oxygen and nitrogen, the researchers saidNASA.

The current Earth-driven CME was triggered by a filament burst on Friday SWPC says. It is expected to hit us late Sunday, causing level G1 geomagnetic storms (the lowest level on the planet). five-point scale). G2 storms are probably for Monday.

The SWPC’s current forecast shows that Canada and Alaska (covered in red in the image below) have the greatest chance of seeing the Northern Lights on Sunday. NOAA predicts that the southern extent of the auroras – represented by the red line in the image below – could reach as far south as northern Nebraska and central Iowa.

That means residents in Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, northern Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, Michigan, parts of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine may also have the chance to see the aurora.

While the SWPC expects stronger geomagnetic storms on Monday, the forecast is not that promising. Alaska and Canada still have a chance of seeing the Northern Lights, but for those in northern Montana, North Dakota, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the chance is slim.

However, the SWPC reported on Friday that in addition to the Earth-directed CME, a high-velocity coronal hole stream (CH HSS) was spotted on the Sun. Like CMEs, A CH HSS can cause geomagnetic storms on Earth reach G1 or G2 levels – which in turn could trigger more northern lights.

The CH HSS is “likely to have an impact on Earth” between Wednesday and Friday, the SWPC said said. Aurora forecasts for these days will not be available until Tuesday at the earliest (SWPC only). Stock Predictions for the current day and the next).

We may see even more Northern Lights in the coming months.

The Sun is reaching the peak of Solar Cycle 25, an 11-year period during which the Sun flips its magnetic poles, triggering space weather such as CMEs and CH HSS. New forecasts show that it is possible Come faster and be stronger than previously thought from January to October next year.

Not only could this mean more Northern Lights appearances – possibly more opportunities for those in the southern US to see them – But Impact on our infrastructure.

An added bonus of the current solar cycle? The total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 will occur near its cycle maximum, making for a good spectacle for sky watchers. NOAAexplained.