“So if we get to the G-4 level, this could easily be seen in the central eastern states, the lower Midwest and maybe even northern California,” SWPC scientist Shawn Dahl said during a media briefing on Wednesday. “It certainly could be further south.”

Tonight, skies are expected to remain fairly clear for New Englanders to see the dancing light show. The best time to see the northern lights is often difficult, scientists say, although it’s always best to be far away from any light pollution.

“It’s like a shock front arriving here on Earth,” Dahl said. “First, think of it as a strong cold front moving across the U.S. and suddenly a huge gust of wind blows. It may take a while for the extremely cold temperatures to become noticeable. With these CMEs it is similar: we experience the arrival of the shock front and an immediate jump in speed, and they strengthen the magnetic field. But the strongest part of the magnetic field, like the extremely cold temperatures, may not be visible for a while because it is in that part of the magnetic cloud as it rolls and passes over.”

Meteorologists do not expect this latest solar storm to surpass the G-5 storm, which hit Earth in May and is considered the strongest in several decades.

“The difference is that we had a series of coronal mass ejections in May,” Dahl said. “One of them was faster than the other and kind of swept everything together and just added to the effect.

This time he added: “We have a coronal mass ejection, and at a much higher rate than that seen in early May.”

“We anticipate that the duration might be shorter than, you know, 36 hours, but we never know exactly how long we’re going to be in these CME clouds as they move over the Earth,” Dahl said.

The Northern Lights dazzled New England residents across the region and those patiently waiting for the shimmering Northern Lights on Sunday and Monday evening. Sightings have been reported in the Boston area, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Many residents shared their photos of the beautiful phenomenon on social media.

Marianne Mizera can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @MareMizera.