WASHINGTON STATE — Pacific Northwest residents may get the rare chance to spot the Aurora Borealis (a.k.a. Northern lights) on Sunday night.
The Space Weather Prediction Center issued a Severe Geomagnetic Storm Alert through Monday, meaning people living as far south as Washington and Northern Oregon might be able to see the aurora.
That also depends on whether the weather will cooperate with clear viewing conditions.
The center said G4 conditions from the storm were seen on Saturday, and they are expected to continue into Sunday night.
According to the National Weather Service, geomagnetic activity can change drastically as a storm progresses, with some weaker or stronger conditions.
“CME passages can take some time, in this instance we anticipate CME passage will continue, but slowly weaken,” the NWS said. “However, we feel the solar wind conditions will still be elevated enough to make a sudden escalation to G3-G4 levels possible if the CME magnetic field shifts southward.”
For your best chance of seeing the aurora, head for areas farther away from city lights!
You can check storm updates on the Space Weather Prediction Center’s site.
The geomagnetic storm conditions are expected to weaken considerably by Monday evening.
