'Severe' geomagnetic space storm headed towards earth: KY potentially could see Northern Lights

Spencer Mahon, Richmond Register, Ky.
·2 min read

May 10—A rare solar event could allow many Kentuckians and Madison Countians to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights tonight into the weekend.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's KP scale and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks models. During the peak, which currently is early Saturday morning with a potential for it to linger on Saturday night.

"Auroral activity will be high(+++). Weather permitting, highly active auroral displays will be visible overhead from Inuvik, Yellowknife, Rankin and Iqaluit, to Carson City, Oklahoma City, Little Rock and Raleigh, and visible low on the horizon from Southern California, Phoenix, Austin, and Montgomery," the Alaska-Fairbanks Geophysical Institute said on their website.

NOAA said that this weather could last all weekend long.

"Additional solar eruptions could cause geomagnetic storm conditions to persist through the weekend," NOAA's release on the matter said.

The reason for this is because of a coronal mass ejection, or CME. According to Space.com, the sunspot known as AR3664 released it's most powerful solar flare to date and the fourth largest this solar cycle.

The CME rated as X3.98 on the rating scale along with other activity on the Sun prompted NOAA to issue a very rare G-4 Geomagnetic Storm Watch for the whole weekend.

X-Class solar flares are the most powerful solar flares that the sun can emit. x10 would then be the highest rating. The numbers denote relative strength.

The predicted elevated geomagnetic activity is a result of several CMEs seen currently barreling toward Earth after several large solar eruptions a few days prior.

Auroral sub-storms will add to the show as well making for a potentially very active display throughout this weekend. With the activity predicted to continue over the weekend, NOAA is looking if there will be a G-5 level geomagnetic storm watch issued.

The chances are slim but still there for this to touch a G-5 level. The last G-5 level event happened in October of 2003, which drew comparisons to the 1859 Carrington event.