The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) of the United States National Weather Service has recently issued a statement predicting that a geomagnetic storm is expecting to move past our planet this week. He joined the 13 Weather Authority in 2014. Every eleven years or so it beats, and it beats hard. However, you’ll only have a really brief period – between 9 p.m. and midnight – to see the lights, and that’s only if conditions don’t change. You should be able to see shimmering lights in the sky. On the plus side, we get a neat light snow for one night. 10322 Auburn Road The lights may not be as bright as they look in pictures (mostly due to cameras having longer exposure times and the ability to take in much more light), but they should still be visible. The best location to see the Lights will be at the Illinois-Wisconsin border after 9 p.m. People may be able see the spectacle Thursday night, but the … Forecasters say the Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, could be visible as far as Oklahoma City. Here are some hints if you are out hunting for the Aurora: Look toward the northern … OKLAHOMA — Oklahomans could see a rare and incredible sight tonight. However, there is a number of conditions that have to be met. The sun has a heartbeat. Here’s what you need to know. Kansas City area COVID-19 vaccine planner for April 18-24. It is more likely you will see the northern lights the farther north you go. The northern Midwest and Great Lake States will have a prime viewing tonight due to a clear sky in place. You may have a couple of chances to see the display this week in the northern parts of the country. Once you are away from any light pollution, allow your eyes about 10 to 15 minutes to adjust to the night sky. We may just be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the magical Northern Lights for a brief window of time this evening. It's a good sign if you see a thick aurora band with some areas of light yellow, orange or, better yet, RED on this map as opposed to just a thin (or transparent) band with only dark green. Northern Lights Forecast . The Northern Lights are forecast to push further south than normal, thanks to a large solar storm on Monday. Tonight Is Your Chance The Northern Lights were visible early Sunday morning in northern Minnesota, and there's a chance they could be visible again Sunday night. Here's How to See It. The best time to see northern lights in North America is from late August to mid-April. Those can last for months, and, as Rodney explains: “as the sun rotates every 27 days, we can get the blast of high speed solar wind, much like someone spinning around holding a garden hose and spraying you every time they spin around. A massive amount of energy ejected from the Sun on Monday, Dec. 7, is expected to arrive on Earth from Dec. 9 to Dec. 11. Viewing conditions were expected to be prime, even if there might be little to see. This particular solar storm is on the stronger end. Or in other words, this is a category three geomagnetic storm and may cause the aurora borealis to extend as far south as the Pacific Northwest, Northern Plains, Great Lakes and into New England. For most people, seeing the Northern Lights is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To see if you have a chance of seeing the northern lights tonight, we recommend using the Ovation Aurora Forecast at the Space Weather Prediction Center. Shimmering colors of mostly green light are visible if you look to the north, and closer to the horizon. Unfortunately for us, the lights will not make it as far south as Kansas and Missouri. Go as far north as possible. The Aurora Borealis, also known as the northern lights, lights up the sky over the Stateline. Fall and spring months are considered to be peak times as solar activity is the most intense. This solar activity acts with our atmosphere and creates a green dancing light we know as the Auroras or Northern Lights. National Weather Service. Skies will be clear Saturday between 2-6 a.m., which presents a small possibility of seeing the Northern Lights. This is a 30 minute forecast for the probability of seeing the Aurora borealis northern lights in your location. As a category three geomagnetic storm, the lights may be visible on the horizon for places as far south as northern Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. — The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) will make an appearance in tonight's sky for many Midwesterners. If conditions do in fact reach G2 levels, the probability of seeing the lights is pretty good north of I-90 across northern Iowa, Minnesota, northern Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Many Americans and Canadians have a great chance to see the northern lights on Friday night and early Saturday morning. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Alex Kirchner is the Chief Meteorologist at 13 WREX. Northern Lights Tonight Dear Aurora Enthusiast, Here is a dashboard for all of you Aurora Hunters trying to see the Northern Lights tonight. Unfortunately for us, the lights will not make it as far south as Kansas and Missouri. Shimmering colors of mostly green light are visible if you look to the north, and closer to the horizon. The Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, may be visible on Thursday and Friday in some northern states, including Illinois, Oregon, Maine, … Sunday will be a dry and mild day as a system is expected to bring not only cooler temperatures but rain and possibly snow next…, WREX The Northern Lights, also known as the Polar Lights or the Aurora Borealis, are set to appear in the skies across the northern United States. Best time to see Northern Lights. After years of stalking the lights, I’ve identified some ideal locations to consider for a northern Idaho aurora adventure. Alaska Satellite. The CME hits our atmosphere, causing particles to light up and provide the light show. The size of a visible Aurora will be bigger than what is shown on this map, because the map gives the overhead location of the Aurora. The season of aurora borealis in the Northern hemisphere generally lasts from August through April. Eyes to the skies this evening, Missouri! A side effect of the CME is interference in some of our other electrical devices. As the Earth continues to move through the turbulent wake of this CME, there is a chance for additional geomagnetic storms that would trigger the Northern Lights, i.e., the aurora borealis. The more sunspots, the more solar flare energy is being released into space (which means more aurora activity!). A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday evening. I have lived in Appleton for the last 22 years and have seen Northern Lights twice, both times in winter. or news@wrex.com, All content © 2000 - 2021, WREX Television, Inc. All rights reserved. Your radio signal may be crackly for a while, and your GPS unit could be off by a few feet. While spotting the northern lights in the U.S. is typically rare, northern states across the country might be able to see them thanks to the strength of … Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Americans usually have to travel to catch a glimpse of the dazzling lights, but it seems this year scientists are expecting the Northern Lights to make a visit to the states. Photos can make an aurora encounter that much more memorable. For best viewing conditions, head out away from the city lights. You'll want to get away from the light pollution of major cities, so head for a more undeveloped area. The northern lights mainly show up as green, though a few other colors may mix in as well. Space Weather Prediction Center. It's measured in Kp-Index on a scale from 0 to 9. These side effects should go away within a day or so. Normally, you'd have to go pretty far north to see this light show. The map above or one from the SWPC in September, however, can provide a little context for how far south you might be able to see the northern lights during a G3 geomagnetic storm. This is known as the solar cycle and is measured by the number of sunspots visible on the sun. The northern lights occur when the Sun burps out a burst of energy known as a coronal mass ejection, or CME. But if you have family or friends in Nebraska, Iowa or Illinois and points north, spread the word. Most importantly, geomagnetic or solar activity that causes the beautiful phenomenon has to reach its highest levels. Switchboard: 815-335-2213 The biggest Northern Lights show of 2020: Where in the U.S. can you see it? From n3kl.org. Then click the "play" button. |, Worldwide COVID-19 death toll tops a staggering 3 million, Police: FedEx shooter legally bought guns used in shooting, The Latest: Fauci says he expects fast decision on J&J shots, GOP White House hopefuls move forward as Trump considers run, Gunfire at Ohio vigil for homicide victim kills 1, hurts 5, Rockford gave a World War II veteran a parade for his 100th birthday, Sheriff: 3 dead, 2 wounded in shooting at Wisconsin tavern. The only problem is that this may further contribute to an unhealthy obsession with the next chance to see them. Clear weather overnight times out perfectly with the one-night-only show. Solar X-rays Geomagnetic Field. Northern lights over Chatcolet bridge. But there’s another phenomenon that causes the northern lights - coronal holes. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. However, due to dark skies in the summer, it's possible to witness aurora in Michigan all year round. ROCKFORD (WREX) -- A massive solar storm from the Sun brings the northern lights as far south as the Stateline, giving us a rare chance to see the dazzling display. — The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) will make an appearance in tonight's sky for many Midwesterners. Lindsey Anderson tells us about the Northern Lights! Alex earned Certified Broadcast Meteorologist recognition from the American Meteorological Society, and his work at WREX earned him a Best TV Weathercaster award from the Illinois Broadcasters Association and 2 regional Emmy awards. If you really want to see Northern Lights your best bet would be to make a trip to Alaska, Iceland or certain areas of Canada during winter. The Northern Lights Will Be Visible Over the U.S. Tonight. Cities like Seattle, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit and Boston are in the best viewing region to see the light show. Rockford, IL 61103 Northern Lights likelihood was to increase north of the Illinois-Wisconsin border. Also grab their Northern Lights 3 Day Forecast. Historical View of the sun spotsFor 400 years, from the time of Galileo until now, we have been keeping track of the number of these sunspots and, a… The Aurora Borealis, also known as the northern lights, lights up the sky over the Stateline. The SWPC says the best time to try and view the aurora borealis will be from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. away from city lights and in an open space with a good view of the northern horizon. The best viewing times are between 10 pm and 2 am. The sky in your area needs to be clear and cloudless for the Northern Lights to be seen. The explosion of plasma from the Sun's surface will interact with the Earth's magnetic field over the next two nights and produce the magnificent colors dancing in the sky, or what are the Northern Lights. If you live across portions of the northern U.S., keep your eyes to the sky over the next few nights: Barring pesky clouds, you might catch a peek of the northern lights, aka the aurora borealis. Want To See The Northern Lights? The best time to see the Northern Lights will be tonight … Obviously, a clear sky is needed to see the northern lights. The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) is forecasting a "KP" level of 7 and has issued a "G3" watch. This is why the northern lights can be seen all the way down into Stateline. If you live in one of these states, you’ll want to keep an eye on the sky tonight for your chance to spot the aurora, so here are some tips for northern lights chasers. Dear Wayne, You could stay here, but on average, the northern lights are only visible in Chicago about once every two years, and they would be hard to see because of … Increase north of the magical northern lights will not make it as far south Kansas. 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