Vivid aurora borealis are in the spotlight after the celestial spectacle appeared to hit parts of Northern California. This comes after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a severe weather geomagnetic storm warning on Nov. 11.
In a post on X, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center said: “G4 (Severe) Watch now posted for November 12. A recent fast CME is expected to arrive around noon on November 12 and the potential for a G4 exists.”
That means upcoming strong solar storms have the potential to produce colorful auroras and temporarily disrupt communications, space weather forecasters say.
Although atmospheric conditions will not be ideal for aurora viewing in California because of the storm, coronal mass ejections from the sun in recent days could reach Earth on the night of Nov. 11 and early morning on Nov. 12, the AP reported.
However, the brightness and spread of the auroras will depend on when the solar flares occur and how they interact with the Earth’s atmosphere. “Bright displays could be visible across much of the northern United States and as far south as Alabama and northern California,” the report said.
According to AccuWeather, some aurora is likely in the northern US as solar material from this explosion is likely to arrive Tuesday night or early Wednesday, SWPC said.
When and where to look for the aurora borealis?
Below are the states that have the highest chance of seeing the Northern Lights on November 11, according to NOAA.
- Washington
- Idaho
- Montana
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Michigan
- Alaska
Other states in the line of sight where observation is still possible are listed below:
- Oregon
- Wyoming
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- Indiana
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Massachusetts
When to look for the aurora borealis in the sky?
Space enthusiasts can look for the aurora on Tuesday night, as it’s usually most visible after 10 p.m. and is expected to light up the sky until 2 a.m.
The best time to watch this storm is probably between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM, according to NOAA’s three-day forecast.
According to meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn, clouds are expected to break up in Northern California after 10:00 PM on November 11. This will give sky watchers the opportunity to enjoy the magnificent aurora borealis, reported kcra.com.
After midnight, however, low clouds will begin to creep in from the coast to fill the overcast skies, Dirk Verdoorn said.
How to watch?
Sky watchers need to be aware that the best place to catch the aurora borealis is away from city lights. The aurora borealis, which is not visible to the human eye, can be captured by a smartphone camera lens.
Associate Professor Randy Hodges of Placerville’s Community Observatory said he didn’t expect favorable conditions for aurora viewing. He cited cloud cover and moonlight as the reason for his belief, kcra.com reported.
