Forecasters expect the worst of the storm to hit around midnight Saturday night. During this time, a full halo coronal mass ejection is expected to reach the Earth’s magnetic field.
Experts have pointed out that the auroras may also be visible over the weekend in areas much further from the poles than their usual latitudes.
According to a statement from the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the coronal mass ejection was observed for the first time on Thursday.
Coronal mass ejections are bursts of charged particles ejected from the Sun’s atmosphere.
When these particles interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, they can create stunning auroras.
However, they can also cause minor damage to power grids or disrupt spacecraft operations and satellite-based communications.
Space water physicist Dr Tamitha Skov wrote on Twitter: “The #solarstorm has arrived. Sporadic shows are happening now.
“We saw the #aurora hit Ohio, but only momentarily.”
Skov added: “The storm is just beginning, but G1 levels are likely. G2 storm levels are definitely possible if the speed remains high, but the field is too chaotic (eg turbulent) now to know – for sure.”
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But some people will record a natural light show.
The Sun is on an 11-year solar cycle, and scientists say the current one will peak in 2025, when solar flares will be more intense and extreme.
According to a University of California study, this has caused some scientists to raise concerns that our existing internet communication structure is vulnerable to violent solar storms.
The study found that if a particularly strong solar storm were to crash into Earth, it would have the power not only to knock out power grids and satellites, but also to cripple the Internet for the long term.