Northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, may be visible in several states in the Pacific Northwest, upper Midwest, and Northeast on Thursday night due to solar eruptions that occurred earlier in the week. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a moderate G2 geomagnetic storm watch, indicating elevated northern lights activity. A Kp level 6 has been issued, suggesting that the auroras will be brighter and more active as they move further from the poles.
Residents in at least 17 states, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and New York, may have a chance to see the northern lights on Thursday night. Aurora Borealis is caused by solar activity like solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which create geomagnetic storms that produce the stunning light displays in the sky.
The visibility of the auroras depends on various factors such as location, weather, time of night, and the level of geomagnetic activity. While most visible in Alaska and Canada, the northern lights may still be seen as far south as Alabama and west to northern California during severe geomagnetic solar storms. The auroras can be seen with the naked eye and do not require any special equipment to observe.
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