A colossal coronal mass ejection (CME) has struck Earth, triggering severe (G4) geomagnetic storm conditions that could push the northern lights much farther south than usual tonight (19–20 January). The impact, confirmed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center, is already stirring Earth's magnetic field — setting the stage for a potentially spectacular aurora display across the northern United States and possibly beyond.
NOAA confirmed that G4 geomagnetic storm levels were first reached at 2:38pm EST (1938 UTC) on 19 January following the CME's shock arrival, with storming expected to continue through the evening. The CME was launched during a powerful X-class solar flare on 18 January and travelled towards Earth at speeds of up to 1,400 kilometres per second.
