tiple intense solar events have been recorded in recent days, including several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — massive bursts of charged particles released from the Sun. A G4 alert ranks as “severe” on NOAA’s five-level scale. What is happening on the Sun? NOAA scientists say at least three significant CMEs are on track to pass Earth between Tuesday and Thursday. Two of these — from eruptions on November 9 and 10 — already struck Earth earlier than expected, producing far stronger effects than originally forecast. Shawn Dahl, a NOAA scientist, said the storms “ packed quite a punch ” and intensified from an expected G2 level to a G4 . A third, faster-moving CME from November 11 is expected to hit Earth around midday Eastern Time (17:00 GMT) on Wednesday . That eruption had already caused temporary radio blackouts across Africa and Europe. Why do solar storms matter? Solar storms occur when sudden bursts of energy from the Sun — either CMEs or solar flares — are launched into space. CMEs send clouds of charged particles toward Earth at over 1 million mph. Solar flares are intense flashes of radiation that reach Earth in about eight minutes. When these energetic particles collide with Earth’s upper atmosphere, they interact with gases and create glowing light displays — the auroras . Northern lights to appear far beyond usual regions Because Earth is currently in the peak of its 11-year solar cycle , known as the solar maximum , auroras have become more frequent and visible farther from the poles. Strong geomagnetic storms can push the aurora zone deep into mid-latitude regions. This week, auroras have already been spotted across parts of the US, Canada and northern Europe. NOAA says residents may witness auroras Wednesday night in areas far south of their usual range, including: Illinois (Chicago) Colorado Massachusetts (Boston) Washington (Seattle) California (San Francisco, Los Angeles) Oregon (Portland) Texas (Dallas) Georgia (Atlanta) New York North Carolina (Raleigh) North Dakota (Bismarck) Wyoming (Cheyenne) Iowa Experts recommend moving away from bright city lights to increase visibility. A surge in global aurora activity The Sun’s heightened activity began last year and is expected to continue through the end of 2025. Earlier in May 2024, Earth experienced the strongest geomagnetic storm in more than 20 years, producing dazzling auroras across the United States, the UK and large parts of Europe. This week’s storms, scientists say, could produce similar sky shows — along with brief but noticeable disturbances to radio, satellite, and GPS signals.