The northern lights made a rare appearance across the United States on Friday night, delighting viewers from coast to coast. Many were able to witness this natural phenomenon for the first time in their lives. But for those who missed out or are eager for a second chance, there’s good news – the northern lights may be visible again on Saturday night.
According to the NOAA’s Aurora Forecast, households that were treated to the northern lights on Friday night have a good chance of seeing them again on Saturday. States like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Missouri are expected to have favorable weather conditions for viewing the auroras.
The northern lights were caused by “extreme” G5 geomagnetic storms that occurred on Friday night and Saturday morning. The last time a G5 solar storm of this magnitude occurred was in 2003, causing significant power issues in Sweden and South Africa. If the storm reaches G5 levels again on Saturday night, the northern lights could potentially be visible as far south as Florida and Texas.
The Space Weather Prediction Center has indicated that the aurora activity could extend into Sunday and early next week due to the high solar activity. The threat of geomagnetic storms will persist until the active sunspot cluster, which is larger than Earth, rotates out of view.
For those hoping to catch a glimpse of the northern lights, the best time to look is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time. And if you’re in an area where the lights may not be as strong, newer cell phone cameras might be able to capture a better view than the naked eye. So keep your eyes on the sky and be ready for a dazzling display of nature’s beauty.