Northern lights expected to light up sky in parts of the US Monday

Skywatchers across the U.S. will have a chance to view the northern lights Monday evening as a powerful geomagnetic storm unfolds.

A severe (G4) geomagnetic storm watch was in effect Monday as people prepared for lights to dazzle the night sky due to the arrival of a coronal mass ejection (CME).

Northern lights visible in US

Big picture view:

The northern lights could be visible across more than 25 states due to the powerful CME currently hurling through space and on a collision course with Earth.

On Sunday, the sun emitted an X1.9-class solar flare, which is an eruption of energy. According to FOX Weather's Forecast Center, X-class flares represent the most intense category on the solar flare scale, with an X-class event being 10 times more powerful than a mid-range M-class flare.

On Monday, the U.S. NOAA/NWS Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued an alert about the geomagnetic storm, which is "a major disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field."

NOAA said the geomagnetic storm strengthened and reached G4 conditions (a level 4 out of 5 on NOAA’s space weather scale). If the G4 levels are reached again this evening, the agency said there is a great chance that many skywatchers in the U.S. will be able to see some northern lights. 

At 7:45 p.m. ET, the SWPC issued another update on how to analyze the storm activity and what to look out for with Monday's aurora chances.

Here’s where to look.

Where to watch the northern lights

Dig deeper:

People as far south as Alabama and Northern California may be able to see the aurora during the peak of the event, according to NOAA. Farther south, cameras may pick up the faint color even if the lights are hard to see with the naked eye.

Sadly, cloud cover could interfere with viewing for many people in various states. According to the FOX Forecast Center, overcast skies are expected across the Northern Rockies, Central Plains and Great Lakes region. The Northeast could get lucky, with a mix of cloud cover and a chance of visibility.

The best chance for viewers to get a clear view of the light show would be in the Pacific Northwest, eastern Dakotas, and Minnesota. If the storm reaches the predicted G4 (severe) levels, the northern lights may be photographed as far south as New Mexico or Alabama.

‘Chances are pretty good’ for aurora viewing

What they're saying:

Professional Aurora Chaser, Vincent Ledvina, joined FOX Weather, as this event has the potential to be the strongest solar radiation storm in over 20 years. The last time an S4 level was reached was in 2003, according to NOAA.

"Pretty historic," Ledvina told FOX Weather, adding, "Chances are pretty good that we’ll get some widespread aurora viewing tonight, hopefully across the United States."

Big picture view:

A geomagnetic storm is a significant disturbance of Earth’s magnetosphere that occurs when there is a very efficient exchange of energy from the solar wind into the space environment surrounding Earth, according to SWPC.

Tips on seeing northern lights

What you can do:

Here are some tips for stargazers trying to catch a glimpse at the northern lights. 

• Try to find an unobscured view and look toward the northern horizon.
• It must be dark outside, so if you can, go somewhere that has as little light pollution as possible.
• The best time to see auroras is within an hour or two of midnight, according to the NOAA. 
• Check the weather forecast because clouds can cover up the spectacle entirely.
• Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren’t visible to the naked eye.