Solar winds collide with Earth's magnetic field, triggering geomagnetic storms.
On Sunday night, the sun's quiet breath — solar winds streaming from cooler, open regions of its surface — will brush against Earth's magnetic field and ignite a minor geomagnetic storm, painting the northern sky in green and purple for those willing to look up. This is not a crisis but a reminder: the relationship between our star and our planet is constant, dynamic, and occasionally luminous. Across ten states from the Pacific Northwest to Maine, the aurora borealis will make that invisible bond briefly, beautifully visible.
- Coronal holes on the sun are venting high-speed solar winds directly toward Earth, triggering a G1-level geomagnetic storm — mild by scientific measure, but enough to bend the northern lights southward.
- The disruption is not just aesthetic: even minor geomagnetic storms carry the potential to interfere with power grids and satellites, adding a quiet urgency beneath the spectacle.
- Ten states — from Washington and Montana through the upper Midwest to Maine and Alaska — sit within the aurora's expected reach, giving millions of Americans a rare front-row seat.
- NOAA is guiding would-be viewers north, away from city light pollution, with the critical window falling between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. when auroral activity peaks.
- The display is landing as a fleeting but accessible wonder — no special equipment required, only darkness, a northern horizon, and the willingness to step outside.
On Sunday night, solar winds escaping from cooler, open regions of the sun known as coronal holes are expected to reach Earth and trigger a minor geomagnetic storm — one strong enough to push the aurora borealis far south of its usual Arctic home. The storm rates a G1, the mildest on a five-point scale, but even at that level it can nudge the northern lights into view across a wide band of the continental United States.
NOAA forecasts aurora visibility across parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine, with Alaska likely offering the clearest views of all. The upper Midwest sits squarely in the prime viewing zone. Beyond the beauty, G1 storms carry minor practical consequences — potential disruptions to power grids and satellites — a reminder that this celestial light show has earthly stakes.
For those hoping to witness it, the guidance is simple: drive north, escape city lights, and find a clear view toward the northern horizon. The aurora tends to peak in the hours around midnight, making the 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. window the one to protect. The farther north you can travel, the better your odds.
What makes Sunday's display worth pausing for is not its rarity but its intimacy — a moment when the sun's constant, invisible influence on our planet becomes something anyone can see with the naked eye, written in color across the dark.
On Sunday night, the sky above the northern United States could fill with green and purple light—not from any earthly source, but from the sun itself. Solar winds escaping from cooler regions on the sun's surface are heading toward Earth, and when they arrive, they will set off a minor geomagnetic storm that could push the aurora borealis far enough south to be visible across a band of states stretching from the Pacific Northwest to Maine.
The culprit is what astronomers call a coronal hole. These are large, darker regions on the sun that appear less dense in photographs because they are cooler than their surroundings and have open magnetic fields. That openness is the key: it allows high-speed solar winds to stream outward into space. When those winds collide with Earth's magnetic field, they trigger geomagnetic storms. The one expected Sunday rates a G1 on the five-point scale—the mildest category—but even minor storms can have real effects. They can disrupt power grids and satellites, and they can make the northern lights visible much farther south than usual.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting that the aurora could appear across much of the northern tier of the continental United States. That includes parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The upper Midwest is squarely in the viewing zone: most of Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and northern Michigan should have a chance. On the East Coast, northern Maine could see the display. Alaska, sitting closer to the magnetic north pole, will likely have excellent views.
For anyone planning to look up, NOAA offers practical guidance. The best approach is to drive north, away from city lights, and find a spot with a clear view toward the horizon in that direction. The aurora tends to be most active in the hours bracketing midnight—roughly between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.—so that is the window to watch. The farther north you can get, the better your odds, since the phenomenon is centered on Earth's magnetic north pole, which sits in northern Canada.
This is not a rare event, but it is a visible reminder of the constant interaction between our sun and our planet. The solar winds that create these storms are always flowing, always pushing against Earth's magnetic shield. Most of the time, that shield holds them at bay. On nights like Sunday, when conditions align, the evidence of that invisible struggle becomes visible to anyone willing to step outside and look up.
Notable Quotes
Even mild storms like these can impact power grids and satellites, and can cause the northern lights to appear more visible farther south into the continental U.S.— National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a G1 storm—the mildest kind—still make the aurora visible so far south?
Because even mild geomagnetic activity energizes the upper atmosphere. The solar wind compresses Earth's magnetic field, and that releases energy that excites oxygen and nitrogen molecules. Normally that happens only near the poles. A G1 storm pushes the effect farther down toward the equator.
So the coronal hole is just a weak spot in the sun's magnetic field?
Exactly. The sun's magnetic field usually contains the solar wind pretty tightly. But in these cooler regions, the field lines are open—they don't loop back. The wind just pours out.
How often do these holes appear?
They're fairly common, actually. But not every coronal hole produces a storm strong enough to be visible from the continental U.S. This one happens to be well-positioned and well-timed.
If I'm in Minneapolis, do I have a real shot at seeing this?
Yes. You're in the right latitude. But you'll need to get away from the city glow—drive north an hour or two if you can. And midnight is your best window. The aurora is brightest then.
What if clouds roll in?
Then you're out of luck that night. These storms don't last for days. It's a one-night event, weather permitting.