Rahul Somvanshi
A spectacular light show may grace Washington skies Monday and Tuesday nights as a powerful solar storm heads toward Earth. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a G2 (Moderate) to G3 (Strong) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for September 1-2, giving Washingtonians a rare chance to witness the northern lights.
The upcoming aurora display is caused by a coronal mass ejection (CME) that erupted from the sun on August 30. This eruption launched a fast-moving cloud of charged particles directly toward Earth after a long-duration M2.7 flare from sunspot AR 4199.
“Current modeling suggests G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storming is likely late on 01 Sep as the CME initially reaches Earth, with subsequent G3 (Strong) storm conditions likely to follow on 02 Sep as the bulk of the storm passes,” according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
What makes this event potentially more impressive is that it might involve what scientists call a “cannibal CME.” Space weather physicist Dr. Tamitha Skov noted that two solar eruptions could be merging, with “the larger one catching up with the smaller one just ahead of Earth.” This phenomenon could enhance the intensity of the aurora display.
The best viewing time for Washington residents will be late Monday night into early Tuesday morning. The geomagnetic storm is expected to peak between 11 p.m. Monday and 2 a.m. Tuesday Pacific time. Activity might continue into Tuesday night as well.
While clouds may not hamper visibility in Washington during this period, other factors could affect viewing conditions. Light wildfire smoke in the region might decrease visibility somewhat. Additionally, the moon has entered its waxing gibbous phase, with illumination around 60-75% on both nights, which could diminish the contrast of the aurora against the night sky.
For the best chance to see the northern lights, experts recommend finding a spot away from city lights with an unobstructed view toward the north. Viewers should allow their eyes at least 20-30 minutes to adjust to the darkness.
Washington is one of 18 states where the aurora might be visible, along with Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, South Dakota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Idaho, Oregon, New York, Wyoming, Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois.
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The northern lights occur when charged particles from the sun collide with atoms and molecules in Earth’s atmosphere, causing them to glow. Different gases produce different colors – oxygen typically creates green or red light, while nitrogen produces blue and purple hues.
Even if the aurora appears faint to the naked eye, modern smartphones and digital cameras can often capture more vibrant colors than visible to human vision. For the best photos, use a tripod, enable night mode, disable flash, and point your camera northward away from urban light pollution.
This aurora event comes during an active period for our sun, which is in its solar maximum phase, announced in October 2024; high activity is likely through 2025 and could extend into 2026.
The Space Weather Prediction Center offers real-time updates on aurora activity, and several smartphone apps like “My Aurora Forecast” can provide location-specific alerts. The citizen science platform Aurorasaurus also allows users to sign up for real-time alerts based on user reports.
While there’s never a guarantee of seeing the northern lights, this Labor Day weekend presents one of the best chances for Washington residents to witness this natural phenomenon without traveling to higher latitudes.
