Two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are poised to hit Earth on Christmas Day and Christmas Day, triggering a small geomagnetic storm as they interact with our planet’s magnetic field.

While technical systems are expected to experience only mild effects during the storm, the solar flare that triggered these CMEs caused a brief shortwave radio outage over parts of Africa and the South Atlantic Ocean shortly after the eruption, according to SpaceWeather.com.

For those in northern regions, including parts of the United States, the aurora borealis – commonly known as the Northern Lights – could illuminate the night sky for a unique festive spectacle.

“A G1 (Minor) Geomagnetic Storm Watch has been issued for December 25, 2024 due to the expected arrival of a CME associated with the M8.9 eruption observed on December 23,” the Weather Prediction Center said in its alert.

The most significant impacts are forecast for Christmas Day, with only a “small glow” expected on Christmas Day, SpaceWeather.com noted.

CMEs—huge clouds of plasma laced with magnetic fields—were created from a solar flare that erupted on Dec. 23 at 7:12 a.m. ET.

Solar flares are sudden bursts of radiation and light that travel at the speed of light and cause near-instantaneous effects such as disrupting radio communications.

When eruptions ionize the Earth’s ionosphere, they interfere with the propagation of radio waves, especially for frequencies below 30 MHz, resulting in short-wave blackouts.

Unlike the fast-moving electromagnetic energy from an eruption, CMEs move more slowly, taking several days to pass through the space between the Sun and Earth.

It was initially unclear whether these CMEs would reach Earth due to the location of the eruption on the Sun.

“But when these balls of hot gas and magnetic field get close to here, they can cause auroras.

Sky watchers in dark places in the northern United States, especially the Midwest, have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights during Christmas night.

To maximize your viewing experience, allow your eyes to adjust to the dark for about 20 minutes, move away from city lights to minimize light pollution, and look north toward the horizon.

The Sun is currently at its solar maximum – the most active phase of its 11-year solar cycle. This increased activity increases the likelihood of aurora-producing events, suggesting that more frequent aurora displays are on the horizon in the coming months.