According to the experts at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are en route to Earth, and they could be bringing a glowing gift: a potential auroral display reaching farther south than usual—possibly lighting up skies over parts of the northern U.S., like New York and Idaho.
This space weather alert is tied to a rare solar double feature: two magnetic filament eruptions that launched CMEs from the Sun over the weekend. If both CMEs arrive on Earth close together, as forecast, we could be looking at G2-class (moderate) geomagnetic storm conditions on Wednesday.
The Sun undergoes an 11-year cycle during which its magnetic field flips direction, triggering changes on its surface. This cycle leads to the formation of sunspots—regions on the solar surface where magnetic field lines are especially intense. These sunspots often become hotspots for powerful solar activity, like flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
When these energetic outbursts send charged particles toward Earth, they can disrupt radio signals, affect power grids, and create stunning auroras as the particles collide with Earth’s atmosphere.
According to the NOAA bulletin, the two CMEs that left the Sun on April 13 are expected to reach our planet’s outer atmosphere on April 16, with effects from the blasts lasting through April 17.
Shawn Dahl, a service coordinator for the Space Weather Prediction Center, told Gizmodo last year that: “Bottom line is, we’re going to be under the influence of increased activity all of this year, all of next year, and even in 2026 where we’ll continue to have higher chances this type of activity to continue to happen from time to time over the remainder of this solar cycle maximum that we’re experiencing.”
In other words, more geomagnetic storms can be expected as the Sun goes through its cycle. With rare exception—look at the Carrington Event of 1859—the events won’t disrupt your daily life. But if we’re lucky, we could catch a brilliant glimpse of how our Sun generates natural light shows high in our planet’s skies.
