Important points
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NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center predicts a G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm driven by fast solar wind with a Kp index of about 5. The aurora could be visible in 15 states.
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This show is expected to be less intense than the G4 storm (Kp 8) earlier this month, which produced widespread, vivid auroras.
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To have the best chance of seeing it, go to a dark, north-facing location with a clear horizon between about midnight and 2 a.m. local time, and keep in mind that cloud cover may block the view.
Your Christmas light installations won't be the only thing lighting up the sky tonight. The Northern Lights could be visible in 15 states, according to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).
The SWPC is currently forecasting Class G1 geomagnetic storm conditions caused by a fast solar wind that may result in Northern Lights sightings in 15 states, including Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
The weather center also expects the Kp index to reach a maximum of 5. The Kp index is a scale from 0 to 9 used to measure geomagnetic activity. The higher the number, the further from the poles the Northern Lights could appear.
In comparison, earlier this month, when vivid auroras were observed across much of the country, geomagnetic storms reached G4 – geomagnetic storms are rated from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme) – with a Kp index of 8.
Even though the Northern Lights won't be as intense this time, you'll still have a chance to see the dazzling display, depending on where you are. Those in the northern parts of the country should move to a dark place with no light pollution and find a north-facing location with a clear view of the horizon.
Look up between midnight and 2 a.m. local time to spot the light show. Also keep in mind that cloud cover can reduce your chances of seeing the Northern Lights. So check your local weather forecast.
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