Northern Lights Expected in These 15 States Tonight

Speedy summary:

• Event: The northern lights (auroras) may become visible overnight on August 18-19 due to geomagnetic storm conditions caused by an incoming stream of solar wind.
• Cause: A large Earth-facing coronal hole on the Sun is ejecting fast-moving solar wind that could disturb Earth’s magnetic field and spark auroras across 15 US states.
• Forecast Details:

– NOAA predicts minor geomagnetic storms (G1 level), with peak auroral activity expected between 11 PM – 5 AM EDT tonight.
– Further enhancements may occur in subsequent nights if a coronal mass ejection (CME) creates additional disturbances, even though forecasts remain low-confidence at this time.

• Visibility Across States: Auroras might be seen from Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, South Dakota, Vermont, New Hampshire; parts of Idaho and Washington; Northern regions of new York; and potential viewlines in Wyoming and Iowa.

Images:

1. !Aurora Map Preview
2. !Coronal Hole on Sun

Indian Opinion Analysis:

India is unlikely to witness direct impact or visibility from this event given its geographical positioning far south of typical auroral zones. However, the geomagnetic disturbance serves as a reminder of the growing relevance of space weather awareness globally. Solar activity influences not only natural phenomena like auroras but also critical infrastructure such as satellite dialog systems which are essential for India’s telecommunications and GPS-dependent industries.

For India’s upcoming space ventures under ISRO’s leadership-like lunar exploration or deep-space missions-enhanced foresight into space weather events can help safeguard instruments aboard spacecraft against solar radiation damage. Moreover, collaborations with agencies like NOAA or developing indigenous capabilities for monitoring space-weather disturbances could strengthen India’s preparedness.

Read More: Northern lights might potentially be Visible Tonight