Full Breakdown
Early August Geomagnetic Storms May Light Up the Northern U.S.
8/3/2026, 11:56:01 AM
Official Forecasts for August 2-3
Space-weather experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) project a G1-class geomagnetic storm early on Sunday, August 2, followed by a possible G2-class event later that day. The forecast calls for Kp-index conditions around 6, which NOAA describes as “minor-moderate” storm activity. The United Kingdom’s Met Office Space Weather Operations Center issued a similar outlook, noting a “stronger enhancement” likely late on August 1 or early on August 2 (UTC) as the same solar disturbance arrives.
Cause: July 30 Coronal Mass Ejection
Spaceweather.com reported that a coronal mass ejection (CME) erupted from the Sun on July 30, accompanying a weak, long-lasting solar flare. The CME—a cloud of magnetic fields and charged particles—has been traveling toward Earth and is expected to intersect the planet’s magnetic field on August 2, triggering the NOAA- and Met-Office-predicted storms.
Expected Aurora Visibility
Modeling from NOAA suggests that a G1 storm can produce auroral displays visible from U.S. locations near the Canadian border. Potential viewing states include Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. If the storm intensifies to G2 levels, faint aurora may also be seen from northern Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and additional parts of Vermont and New Hampshire. The short summer nights and a full moon are expected to make the displays especially faint, often detectable first by camera sensors before the human eye perceives color.
Guidance for Skywatchers
Observers are advised to face the northern horizon during the darkest portion of the night and to seek sites away from streetlights and other sources of light pollution. Because the aurora is likely to be weak, using a smartphone or dedicated camera with long-exposure capability can improve the chance of capturing the subtle glow. Widespread visibility across the central or southern United States is not anticipated under the current forecast.
