Northern lights could be visible in the Stateline tonight

The sun has been rather active this week, releasing multiple CME's or coronal mass ejections. 

These blasts of electrically charged particles help make the northern lights visible from the poles to as far south as the mid-latitudes. 

One CME in particular was rather strong, hence why the Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G3 storm watch for tonight and Friday morning. 

G3 storms are described as “strong” on the SWPC's geomagnetic storm scale which consists of 5 categories (G1 through G5) . This would make the lights visible as far south as Pennsylvania, central Illinois, Iowa, and Oregon.

Of course, the two biggest questions are

1. When will this solar storm arrive?

2. Will cloud cover interfere? 

To answer the first question, this strong solar storm could arrive anytime between 6PM and midnight. The earlier it arrives, the better shot we here in northern Illinois have at seeing the lights. 

That's because a storm system lifting in from the southern plains will quickly blanket our skies with clouds by the time midnight arrives. If you can, travel north and find a spot that is away from city lights.