(NEXSTAR) — Several states, primarily along the northern border, may have the chance to see the northern lights on Thursday.
A coronal mass ejection, or CME, was hurled out by the sun on Tuesday, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center said. The CME, paired with a coronal hole high speed stream, or CH HSS, is “expected to cause geomagnetic storming” Thursday into Friday, according to an alert from the Space Weather Prediction Center.
CMEs are explosions of plasma and magnetic material from the sun, while a CH HSS refers to escaping solar winds from areas on the sun that are cooler and less dense. Both are capable of sparking auroras that we can see on Earth.
Current forecasting shows the strongest geomagnetic storming could happen Thursday, prompting a G2-level watch. Conditions are expected to weaken Friday, giving way to a G1-level watch.
At these lower levels — geomagnetic storms are classified based on their strength along a five-point scale — the associated auroral activity may only be visible to those in the upper regions of the U.S.
The map below shows where the northern lights may be visible on Thursday. With the exception of Alaska, the likelihood of seeing the aurora in the Lower 48 is slim and limited to parts or all of Illinois, Iowa, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Those along or near the red view line on the map may only catch a glimpse of the northern lights on the northern horizon.
The forecasting is relatively similar for Friday. Parts or all of several states may again have the chance to see the northern lights: Iowa, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
The strength of the geomagnetic activity and the timing of it could impact the aurora forecast.
According to the SWPC, conditions are expected to strengthen between 7 p.m. ET Thursday and about 1 a.m. ET Friday. They may weaken through the day on Friday before ramping up again around 7 p.m. ET.
When the northern lights forecast is weaker, it’s often recommended to get as far away from outdoor lights as possible and look northward. Even then, you may only be able to see the northern lights by taking a picture with your phone.
