Northern Lights put on show in Northwest suburbs

The Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis, made an appearance Sunday night in Chicago's Northwest suburbs.

A strong geomagnetic storm was forecast for most northern states in the country by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather prediction center.

In Crystal Lake, clouds cleared after 11 p.m. on Sunday, allowing residents to see the lights with the naked eye. The horizon was glowing with green and magenta. At times, flashes of light and streaks of color filled the sky.

NOAA said the Northern Lights are the result of electrons colliding with the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere. News organizations in Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana and Utah reported residents seeing the lights.

NOAA advises that the best time to see the storm is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., and viewers should travel to dark areas away from city lights. The organization predicted a weaker storm for Monday night, and increasing cloud cover could be an issue.