Brilliant Northern Lights Forecast For Iowa, Minnesota, & SD

A big category G3 geomagnetic storm is heading for the upper midwest which means Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota could see some spectacular northern lights.

If you've ever experienced the Aurora Borealis away from the city lights in the night sky over Minnesota, Iowa, or South Dakota you know what a breathtaking display that can be.

Get ready because there is a major solar storm headed for the earth that could produce one heck of a light show!

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a Geomagnetic Storm Watch in effect for August 17 - 19, 2022.

NOAA ranks Geomagnetic Storms by strength G1, G2, and G3 with G3 being the strongest.

This particular Storm is starting out as a G1 tonight, then a G2 Thursday, and then it cranks up to a G3 on Friday.

That means there's a good potential of seeing some aurora action in all or parts of ...

• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Nebraska
• Iowa
• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• Michigan
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Oregon
• Idaho
• Montana
• New York
• Massachusetts,
• Maine
• New Hampshire
• Vermont
• Washington
• Wyoming
• all of Canada.

So what is a geomagnetic storm? 

"An electric current in the magnetosphere creates a magnetic force that pushes out the boundary between the magnetosphere and the solar wind.

Several space weather phenomena tend to be associated with or are caused by a geomagnetic storm."