Story perspectives

NOAA Issues G3 Storm Watch; Aurora Visible to Illinois

6/7/2026

Summary

Story summary

NOAA issued a G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm watch for the night of June 4-5, with a possible upgrade to G4.
The watch predicts the aurora borealis could extend as far south as Illinois and Oregon on June 4-5.
Three coronal mass ejections launched from the Sun on June 3 may merge before reaching Earth.
NOAA warns the G3 storm could cause intermittent satellite navigation errors, low-frequency radio disruptions, and minor power-grid voltage corrections.

History

Historical Context

On September 1 1859 Richard Carrington observed a solar flare that triggered a geomagnetic storm recorded by Greenwich Observatory with a 2,300-nanotesla disturbance, crippling telegraph networks across Europe and North America. NOAA’s G3 storm watch for June 4-5 2026 cites the Carrington event to warn that similar coronal-mass-ejection impacts could again threaten modern power grids and satellite navigation.

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Story summary

NOAA issued a G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm watch for the night of June 4-5, with a possible upgrade to G4.
The watch predicts the aurora borealis could extend as far south as Illinois and Oregon on June 4-5.
Three coronal mass ejections launched from the Sun on June 3 may merge before reaching Earth.
NOAA warns the G3 storm could cause intermittent satellite navigation errors, low-frequency radio disruptions, and minor power-grid voltage corrections.

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