A coronal mass ejection launched from the Sun on August 14 is due to reach Earth on August 17, and it could spark a minor geomagnetic storm with aurora visible at higher latitudes. If you live somewhere with a shot at seeing the northern lights, tomorrow night is worth keeping an eye on the sky.
What’s Actually Happening
The Sun released a filament eruption, a rope of solar material and magnetic field lifting off its surface, on August 14. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center confirms a piece of that eruption is Earth-directed, with arrival expected August 17. Forecasters are calling for G1 (minor) geomagnetic storming, the mildest category on NOAA’s five-level scale, but still enough to push the aurora oval down into higher-latitude locations that don’t normally see it.
Should You Bother Watching?
This isn’t a major storm, don’t expect a repeat of the widescale displays a G3 or G4 event can produce. But G1 storms are common enough that they’re worth a quick look if you’re already somewhere dark, especially across northern Scotland, Scandinavia, southern Canada, and similar high-latitude regions. Check NOAA’s aurora forecast the evening of the 17th for a real-time view of where the auroral oval is expected to sit.
This is also a genuinely active week for the Sun overall, six numbered sunspot regions are currently facing Earth, and forecasters put the odds of an M-class flare at around 15% on any given day right now. Worth checking back if you’re tracking space weather closely.
For live updates as the storm develops, check NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center and EarthSky’s ongoing sun activity coverage.