Solar storms triggered by a filament eruption on Monday are expected to create minor to moderate geomagnetic storms on Thanksgiving and Friday, potentially bringing the northern lights to parts of the U.S. such as Washington, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine. Residents in northern Idaho, Wyoming, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire also have a chance at seeing the aurora borealis. While the northern lights are most likely to be visible on Thursday evening and early Friday, it is unclear when and where exactly the skies will light up. Viewers can track the latest activity and forecast on the NOAA’s Aurora Dashboard, which provides maps of where the auroras will be visible and estimates their intensity.
Although clear conditions are ideal for viewing the northern lights, areas of cloudiness may limit visibility over parts of the Northeast, New England, and near the Great Lakes. Unlike previous solar storms that caused disruptions to communication systems, this event is not expected to have a major impact unless the storms become more significant than predicted. Solar storms occur when coronal mass ejections from the sun send plasma clouds toward Earth, creating radiant auroras when they interact with the planet’s magnetic field and upper atmosphere.
The sun is currently approaching an expected peak in activity next July, leading to more frequent occurrences of the northern lights visible in lower latitudes. This event offers a rare opportunity for residents in certain parts of the U.S. to witness the awe-inspiring beauty of the aurora borealis during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
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