NOAA issues G4 Alert: What to know about the severe geomagnetic storm

A rare and stunning aurora event is expected to brighten skies across the US on Wednesday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced a “severe geomagnetic storm,” predicting it could reach a strong G4 level by Wednesday afternoon.

According to NOAA, a severe geomagnetic storm happens when Earth’s magnetic field is disturbed by powerful magnetic or plasma structures from the sun, such as corotating interaction regions (CIRs) or coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These are bubble-like bursts of solar material occasionally thrown out by the sun.

NOAA said the latest CME entering Earth’s magnetic field is the “most energetic and fastest of the CMEs” and is linked to the strongest solar flares of this cycle.

The storm began in the US on Tuesday night and is expected to continue until around 1 PM on Wednesday. During this time, people may see northern lights or bright auroral displays in the sky — visible as far south as Portland, Cheyenne, and even New York City, according to the University of Alaska.

Southern Lights Shine in Australia
The US isn’t the only country witnessing this rare event. In Australia, people are enjoying a dazzling display of the Southern Lights. Astronomer Dr. Laura Driessen from the Sydney Institute for Astronomy said:
“Given the strength of this storm, there’s a chance people farther north than typically expected in the southern hemisphere might be able to see it… Tasmania and New Zealand should get a decent view.”

Astrophysicist Dr. Sara Webb from Swinburne University added that people in Victoria and New South Wales might also catch a glimpse:
“You might just see a hint of it with your naked eye, maybe a little bit red. That’s when it’s time to take out your camera and take a long exposure – you can do this on your mobile phone.”

She advised setting the phone camera to take a 10-second photo, explaining:
“Your phone will collect more light than your eyes can process, showing the aurora more clearly.”

This isn’t the first strong geomagnetic storm recently. In May 2024, Earth faced its strongest storm in 20 years, with multiple X-class solar flares and radio blackouts. Another storm hit in October 2024, when the northern lights were visible as far south as Florida.

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