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. 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 biggest Northern Lights show of 2020: Where in the U.S. can you see it? Most importantly, geomagnetic or solar activity that causes the beautiful phenomenon has to reach its highest levels. Once you are away from any light pollution, allow your eyes about 10 to 15 minutes to adjust to the night sky. The Aurora Borealis, also known as the northern lights, lights up the sky over the Stateline. Unfortunately for us, the lights will not make it as far south as Kansas and Missouri. The Aurora Borealis, also known as the northern lights, lights up the sky over the Stateline. However, there is a number of conditions that have to be met. Go as far north as possible. 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. You may have a couple of chances to see the display this week in the northern parts of the country. The sun has a heartbeat. National Weather Service. Northern Lights Forecast . Here’s what you need to know. OKLAHOMA — Oklahomans could see a rare and incredible sight tonight. The Northern Lights Will Be Visible Over the U.S. Tonight. From n3kl.org. It is more likely you will see the northern lights the farther north you go. Clear weather overnight times out perfectly with the one-night-only show. 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. For best viewing conditions, head out away from the city lights. Kansas City area COVID-19 vaccine planner for April 18-24. Your radio signal may be crackly for a while, and your GPS unit could be off by a few feet. Then click the "play" button. Normally, you'd have to go pretty far north to see this light show. The only problem is that this may further contribute to an unhealthy obsession with the next chance to see them. But if you have family or friends in Nebraska, Iowa or Illinois and points north, spread the word. Here are some hints if you are out hunting for the Aurora: Look toward the northern … Northern Lights Tonight Dear Aurora Enthusiast, Here is a dashboard for all of you Aurora Hunters trying to see the Northern Lights tonight. I have lived in Appleton for the last 22 years and have seen Northern Lights twice, both times in winter. Fall and spring months are considered to be peak times as solar activity is the most intense. Many Americans and Canadians have a great chance to see the northern lights on Friday night and early Saturday morning. A side effect of the CME is interference in some of our other electrical devices. But there’s another phenomenon that causes the northern lights - coronal holes. The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) is forecasting a "KP" level of 7 and has issued a "G3" watch. The sky in your area needs to be clear and cloudless for the Northern Lights to be seen. 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. Northern Lights likelihood was to increase north of the Illinois-Wisconsin border. KANSAS CITY, Mo. We may just be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the magical Northern Lights for a brief window of time this evening. This particular solar storm is on the stronger end. — The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) will make an appearance in tonight's sky for many Midwesterners. 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 best viewing times are between 10 pm and 2 am. 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. This is a 30 minute forecast for the probability of seeing the Aurora borealis northern lights in your location. Want To See The Northern Lights? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Lindsey Anderson tells us about the Northern Lights! 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. |, 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. Solar X-rays Geomagnetic Field. After years of stalking the lights, I’ve identified some ideal locations to consider for a northern Idaho aurora adventure. 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 … 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 … 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 … Space Weather Prediction Center. The Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, may be visible on Thursday and Friday in some northern states, including Illinois, Oregon, Maine, … 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. Also grab their Northern Lights 3 Day Forecast. The season of aurora borealis in the Northern hemisphere generally lasts from August through April. 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. This solar activity acts with our atmosphere and creates a green dancing light we know as the Auroras or Northern Lights. On the plus side, we get a neat light snow for one night. A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday evening. 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. 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. 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. 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. Rockford, IL 61103 Skies will be clear Saturday between 2-6 a.m., which presents a small possibility of seeing the Northern Lights. 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. 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. This is known as the solar cycle and is measured by the number of sunspots visible on the sun. You'll want to get away from the light pollution of major cities, so head for a more undeveloped area. Shimmering colors of mostly green light are visible if you look to the north, and closer to the horizon. The more sunspots, the more solar flare energy is being released into space (which means more aurora activity!). Shimmering colors of mostly green light are visible if you look to the north, and closer to the horizon. The northern lights occur when the Sun burps out a burst of energy known as a coronal mass ejection, or CME. For most people, seeing the Northern Lights is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 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. This is why the northern lights can be seen all the way down into Stateline. The northern lights mainly show up as green, though a few other colors may mix in as well. 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… Every eleven years or so it beats, and it beats hard. or news@wrex.com, All content © 2000 - 2021, WREX Television, Inc. All rights reserved. Unfortunately for us, the lights will not make it as far south as Kansas and Missouri. The best time to see northern lights in North America is from late August to mid-April. Photos can make an aurora encounter that much more memorable. Cities like Seattle, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit and Boston are in the best viewing region to see the light show. These side effects should go away within a day or so. 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. 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. 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. Eyes to the skies this evening, Missouri! 10322 Auburn Road The CME hits our atmosphere, causing particles to light up and provide the light show. Switchboard: 815-335-2213 The best time to see the Northern Lights will be tonight … Alex Kirchner is the Chief Meteorologist at 13 WREX. Obviously, a clear sky is needed to see the northern lights. 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. However, due to dark skies in the summer, it's possible to witness aurora in Michigan all year round. Alaska Satellite. The northern Midwest and Great Lake States will have a prime viewing tonight due to a clear sky in place. Viewing conditions were expected to be prime, even if there might be little to see. 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 It's measured in Kp-Index on a scale from 0 to 9. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. — The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) will make an appearance in tonight's sky for many Midwesterners. Here's How to See It. Best time to see Northern Lights. 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. Northern lights over Chatcolet bridge. Forecasters say the Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, could be visible as far as Oklahoma City. The Northern Lights are forecast to push further south than normal, thanks to a large solar storm on Monday. 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