Category: Local news

(NEW YORK) — A strong geomagnetic storm could soon interact with Earth’s atmosphere, bringing the potential for northern lights displays to be seen much further south in the continental U.S., according to space weather experts.

A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) — a massive burst of solar material and magnetic field from the sun’s outer atmosphere — that occurred on Sunday is expected to reach Earth within the next 24 hours, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center and the U.K.’s Met Office.

Strong (G3) or severe (G4) geomagnetic storm conditions could occur as a result of the CME, including auroras that extend as far south as Alabama and northern California.

Northern light displays occur when a solar flare interacts with the atoms and molecules in Earth’s atmosphere.

As the solar flare clashes with the upper atmosphere, it causes the atoms to emit a glow, creating a spectrum of light in the night sky.

Whether the auroras will actually be visible will depend on how the CME arrives, the magnetic orientation of the CME’s magnetic field and how cloudy it is locally.

The best time to see the northern lights in the U.S. is generally between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. local time, and traveling to the darkest location possible is recommended for the best viewing, according to NOAA.

The storm could also impact power systems, spacecraft operations, radio frequencies and satellite navigation.

Geomagnetic storms are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. A G3 storm could require voltage corrections on power systems and cause intermittent satellite navigation and low-frequency radio navigation problems, according to NOAA.

Under a G4 storm, possible widespread voltage control problems and other issues on power grids could occur, as could increased satellite navigation and low-frequency radio navigation problems.

Spacecrafts could also experience surface charging and tracking problems.

The sun’s magnetic field reached its solar maximum phase of its 11-year cycle in October 2024 and has continued to emit strong solar flares and geomagnetic storms, leading to an increase in aurora displays.

Intense magnetic activity caused by sunspots are expected to last through 2026, according to NOAA.

NOAA is currently analyzing the data for the most recent CME.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — A brutal arctic blast is bringing dangerously low temperatures to the Plains and Midwest before it invades the Northeast.

On Monday morning, the wind chill — what temperature it feels like — plunged to minus 30 degrees in Minneapolis; minus 27 degrees in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; minus 22 degrees in Chicago; and minus 22 degrees in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In the Windy City, wind gusts could hit 35 mph.

The cold even reached Florida on Monday. Wind chills dropped to the 20s in North Florida and hovered around 32 degrees in Central Florida.

On Tuesday morning, the freezing cold will continue in the Midwest, with the wind chill forecast to hit minus 12 degrees in Minneapolis; minus 8 in Chicago and Detroit; and minus 13 in Cleveland, Ohio.

The dangerous temperatures will also arrive in the Northeast on Tuesday. The wind chill is forecast to drop to minus 12 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; 5 degrees in New York City and Philadelphia; 7 degrees in Washington, D.C.; and minus 9 in Buffalo, New York.

The Arctic blast will also bring lake effect snow through Wednesday. Six to 12 inches is possible from western Michigan to Buffalo, New York.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Two winter storms will move through the East this weekend, with cold air coming right behind it in an arctic blast forecast for next week.

The first of the two storm systems will be a quick-moving, clipper system that continues to bring scattered snow showers to the Midwest and Great Lakes before bringing two rounds of snow for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Saturday.

The first round of snow showers moved through early Saturday morning from the central Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia and Virginia up into Pennsylvania, as well as New England. The next round moves in later Saturday morning.

By noon, there will be either snow or mixed conditions along the I-95 corridor from Baltimore to Philadelphia to New York City.

By mid-afternoon, Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia will be clear with New York City and Bridgeport, Connecticut, seeing a change to a light wintry mix as things begin drying up.

Most of New England will see snow on Saturday except along the coast. Boston is likely seeing mostly rain from this, but could get in on a wintry mix at times.

Heading into Saturday night, the first storm system moves out and things begin to clear out across the Northeast, with only a few isolated showers remaining.

The next storm system, which will be a coastal storm that forms off the Southeast coast early Sunday morning, will slide up the East Coast for Sunday.

A light wintry mix or snow will be present for parts of Georgia on Sunday morning by 8:00 a.m., with it possibly extending down to the Florida Panhandle. Atlanta could even get in on a few snow showers, while Macon, Georgia, is likely to see more concentrated wintry weather.

Rain elsewhere along the Southeast coast extends up into the Carolinas.

As the coastal storm moves up the East Coast later Sunday morning into the afternoon, the next round of snow looks to develop along the Northeast coast from Washington, D.C., to New York City to Boston. 

It’s not set yet who will see snow with this coastal storm, as it all depends on how close it is to the coast. There is a chance for more snow near the I-95 corridor. However, it’s becoming clearer that there’ll be more snow for areas along the coast rather than areas inland with this second storm system.

Overall, both of these storm systems will bring minor accumulations along the I-95 corridor and parts of New England.

Some higher snowfall amounts of 2 to 6 inches will be possible north and west of the I-95 corridor and parts of interior New England.

Behind these two systems will be a big arctic blast that will sweep across much of the Eastern and Central U.S. to start the new work week.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Millions of people in the High Plains will experience widespread wind gusts between 60 and 80 mph, from Montana to Kansas. 

This wind, which will last all day and into the evening, could take down large trees, cause power outages, reduce visibility with blowing dust, and make travel dangerous for high-profile vehicles, which could be turned over. 

On the eastern side of the strongest winds, blowing snow is also expected — either snow that has already fallen and is picked up from the ground, or new snow from the new storm. 

A winter weather advisory is in place from North Dakota to Iowa for gusts between 40 and 50 mph, with snow accumulations up to one inch. 

Light snow is forecast to fall across Wisconsin and Michigan, continuing into Michigan and Ohio on Friday afternoon. 

In the evening, snow is forecast to fall from West Virginia and Ohio to western Pennsylvania and western New York. On Saturday, snow is possible across much of the Northeast.

The I-95 corridor may see snow Saturday morning and early afternoon, or a rain and snow mix, from Washington, D.C., to Maine.

A dusting is possible in Washington, D.C., around an inch is expected in Philadelphia and up to 2 inches are possible around New York City and Boston.

Farther inland, parts of upstate New York, western Connecticut and western Massachusetts, and parts of areas north of I-90, may see 3 to 6 inches of snow accumulation.

Snow will be out of the region by late afternoon Saturday.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.