A geomagnetic storm warning has been issued after a powerful flare from the sun

Those in the northern tier can prepare for a display of the Northern Lights on Monday night after charged particles blasting from the sun were sent toward Earth in conjunction with a powerful solar flare.

Another powerful X-ray flare occurred Saturday near sunspot regions known as 3872 and 3873, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) said. This marks the second X-class flare since Thursday, when an X3.3 flare occurred from another area of ​​Earth. The sun. On Sunday, SWPC released a geomagnetic storm watch after satellites detected coronal mass ejections heading toward Earth. It was upgraded to a Magnetic Storm Warning Monday morning.

SWPC classifies solar storms on a scale of five levels, of which five are the most extreme and rare weather conditions. Moderate, Level 2 out of 5, a geomagnetic intrusion is possible on Monday.

See more: Severe geomagnetic storms spark stunning aurora borealis around the world

When the Sun emits solar flares, a solar phenomenon known as a coronal mass ejection sends charged particles toward Earth. When these particles interact with the Earth's magnetic field, we can see displays of the northern lights, known as the aurora borealis.

Aurora lights are seen from Lindenhurst, New York, on October 10, 2024, during a severe geomagnetic storm.

(Seth Darling)

Moderate geomagnetic storms are common and will likely not produce anything like what we saw earlier this month when a severe storm produced aurora lights as far south as the mid-Atlantic. However, weather conditions permitting, those from the northeast to the Pacific Northwest can see beautiful displays of the northern lights.

Cloud cover may obscure views for those in the Pacific Northwest, where rain and mountain snow are expected this week.

Expectations of seeing the aurora borealis on Monday night, as a G2 geomagnetic storm is expected to occur.

(Fox Weather)

The latest geomagnetic storm watch comes after NOAA and NASA revealed that the Sun has reached solar maximum, the period of peak sunspot activity in an 11-year cycle. However, space weather experts say peak activity is expected to continue until 2025.