Hope to see the Northern Lights tonight at Mille Lacs. Good Luck on your opener!
-J.
http://www.fox9.com/news/northern-lights-in-mn-could-be-very-active-on-friday-due-to-severe-storm
Northern Lights in MN could be very active on Friday due to ‘severe’ storm
By FOX 9 StaffPublished May 9, 2024 4:22pm CDTSpaceFOX 9
(FOX 9) – A major geomagnetic storm could set the stage for a brilliant Northern Lights display in Minnesota on Friday night.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm from late Friday into early Saturday morning. For reference, a G5 is the highest level on the storm scale.
The NOAA says “the aurora may become visible over much of the northern half of the country, and maybe as far south as Alabama to northern California.”
The National Weather Service for the Twin Cities calls the solar activity “one of the strongest solar storms we’ve seen in a decade.” They say the potential is there for a very active aurora in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Right now, the weather forecast is calling for clear skies, putting Minnesotans in prime seats for seeing the Northern Lights.
This geomagnetic storm is being fueled by several coronal mass ejections from the sun that are expected to merge before hitting the Earth’s atmosphere.
As always, it’s important to know the aurora is tricky to forecast and nothing is guaranteed.
Tips for viewing the aurora
As always, you should get away from population centers for the best chance of seeing the aurora. Light pollution from cities makes it difficult to see stars and the aurora.
Also, the further north you can go, the better shot you will have to see the lights.
The moon can also impact our chances of seeing the aurora. Luckily, we are in a new moon phase this weekend.
Typically, the best viewing times for the aurora are within an hour or two of midnight.
