BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - The United States Space Weather Prediction Center is forecasting a strong solar storm tonight, which could allow the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, to be visible across our skies.

This is due to a barrage of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) being shot out by the sun in Earth’s direction. These CMEs are superheated plasma packed with electrons that have the potential to energize Earth’s magnetic field, resulting in the northern lights.

Tonight’s solar storm is forecast to have a K-index of 7.33 at its maximum strength, which would classify it as a G3-strength geomagnetic storm. For reference, the aurora can be seen if conditions are just right with a K-index as low as 5 or 6 here in Vermont and the North Country.

While this isn’t the highest val

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