13-03-2025
Will aurora borealis fill the Lower Hudson Valley's skies this spring? What we learned
Will we see the northern lights — aurora borealis — paint the Lower Hudson Valley skies this spring?
It's conceivable, but a strong solar storm would be needed to make it more likely, said Shawn Dahl, a Space Weather Prediction Center service forecaster. Being farther from city lights would be crucial, too.
March 20 is the spring, or vernal, equinox and 'some solar features and activity can become more pronounced during/around the equinoxes,' Dahl said.
One such is called a Coronal Hole High Speed Stream. A moderately sized one recently rotated past the sun's central meridian, and the CH's high speed stream is anticipated to reach Earth by Saturday, March 8, Dahl said.
'This means the potential for enhanced geomagnetic activity on 8-9 March,' but the forecast is for likely a minor storm going into the weekend, he explained.
It's worth monitoring the real-time solar wind situation on the Space Weather Prediction Center's website, Dahl said.
How does an aurora become visible? Atoms in air molecules in Earth's magnetic field are stimulated when charged electrons from the sun collide with them, USA TODAY reported. When the particle stream from the sun interacts with gases in the planet's magnetic field, stunning auroras are produced. Green and red light are emitted by oxygen, while nitrogen is blue and purple.
During March and September equinoxes, Earth's axis is parallel to the sun's. Magnetic fields of Earth and the solar wind momentarily coincide, creating "cracks" that allow charged particles to accelerate and intensify northern light displays, according to USA TODAY.
Some forecasts give a general idea of what might be possible in the skies many days from now, but things can change significantly between now and then.
The geomagnetic activity expected March 8 and 9 is likely 'not normally enough to spin up the aurora visibility odds in (the Lower Hudson Valley) area of New York,' he said.
Dahl said clear and dry atmospheric skies are best for fainter auroras to be seen (according to the National Weather service, "mostly clear" skies are in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday nights in the Lower Hudson Valley). But as long as things are mainly cloud-free in the sky's northern areas, and geomagnetic conditions are enhanced enough and favorable, 'then the aurora might be seen or at least captured on digital technologies.'
Contributing: USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Will we be able to see northern lights over Hudson Valley NY March 8?
