Major northern lights possible after X-class solar flares fuel 'cannibal CME alert'

Three solar flares are barreling toward Earth and they could create a northern lights show to be remembered Tuesday night.

These coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, blew off the surface of the sun Nov. 9, 10 and 11, and could combine into a rare "cannibal CME," where they form one large, fast-moving CME creating a brilliant aurora show.

While NOAA's space weather experts are closely monitoring the situation, they are considering the possibility of issuing a "G4 or greater" watch. The G-scale, for geomagnetic storms, goes from 1-5, and a G4 storm would be severe.

The last G5 solar storm happened May 10, 2024. It was the first G5 solar storm in two decades.

This incoming geomagnetic storm is the result of cannibal CMEs fueled by X-class solar flares, including one early Tuesday morning rate