Latest news with #KpIndex
Forbes
24-06-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Northern Lights Tonight: 10 States May See Aurora On Tuesday During Geomagnetic Storm
The aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, is seen on May 11, 2024 in Manning Park, ... More British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by) The Northern Lights may be visible in the U.S. this week, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, which is predicting a geomagnetic storm that could result in aurora being glimpsed in as many as 10 U.S. states overnight on Tuesday, June 24 through Wednesday, June 25. The agency's three-day forecast has a minor geomagnetic storm occurring, measured at a value of G1 on a scale of G1 to G5. According to NOAA's forecast, the Kp index — which provides a rough guide to the intensity of aurora displays — may reach 4.67. Where The Northern Lights May Be Visible NOAA's aurora viewlines have potential aurora displays that are possible in northern U.S. states and Canada. A total of 10 U.S. states have a chance of seeing the aurora on the northern horizon on on Tuesday, June 24 through Wednesday, June 25, with those on the U.S.-Canada border having a higher chance. Parts of U.S. states that could potentially see aurora include Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine. Areas far from light pollution are likely to get the best views. NOAA's aurora viewline forecast for Tuesday, June 24, 2025. When To See The Northern Lights Exactly when and where aurora becomes visible this week will be down not to predictions but data coming in from NASA's DSCOVR and ACE satellites. Orbiting the sun from around a million miles from Earth, they give a roughly 30-minute warning of aurora displays after measuring the solar wind's speed and magnetic intensity. Check NOAA's 30-minute forecast or use the Glendale App for up-to-the-minute forecasts. What Causes The Northern Lights The Northern Lights are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. Although the magnetic field deflects much of it, some charged particles accelerate along the magnetic field lines toward the polar regions, where they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, exciting them and causing them to release energy as light. The possibility of displays of the aurora borealis at more southerly latitudes comes from a spike in solar activity, which is currently at a 23-year high due to the current solar maximum period. Geomagnetic storms and aurora are expected to continue through 2025 and 2026. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Northern Lights May Appear Farther South Than Usual This Weekend—Here's How to See Them
The northern lights may be visible across parts of the U.S. this weekend due to increased geomagnetic activity. This rare opportunity stems from a G2 geomagnetic storm that could make the aurora borealis visible as far south as New York and Idaho. Optimal viewing conditions include areas with little light pollution and clear skies, particularly in rural or high-altitude you live in the northern U.S., you may have the chance to witness an eye-catching light show in the sky. Starting tonight and through the weekend, the northern lights will be visible, with auroras appearing further south than usual—possibly into New York and Idaho—due to geomagnetic storm conditions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a moderate G2 geomagnetic storm watch for June 14. Geomagnetic storms are ranked from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme). A G2 storm means that the aurora oval—the zone where there is a higher probability of seeing the northern lights—could move farther south, allowing residents across parts of the northern U.S. a chance to see the lights. According to the SWPC, people in Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Wyoming have a chance of spotting the phenomenon over the weekend thanks to turbulent space weather. The spike in geomagnetic activity is caused by a coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS). Per NOAA, "A coronal hole is a less dense area in the solar corona. They appear dark because they are cooler. Solar wind escapes from these features at higher speeds, known as high-speed streams. When they arrive at Earth, escalated geomagnetic activity may result." NOAA also forecasts that the Kp index will peak at 6.33 over the weekend. The Kp Index is a numeric scale, ranging from 0 to 9, that describes geomagnetic activity. Per NOAA, higher Kp values increase the chances of seeing auroras at lower latitudes. If you want to see the lights, head to a dark, north-facing spot away from city lights. Keep in mind that cloudy skies and light pollution can affect visibility. The best time to spot the lights may be around 1 to 2 a.m. Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
The Northern Lights May Be Visible in the US This Weekend—Here's Where to Spot Them
If you missed the northern lights earlier this week, don't worry. Residents in some states might have the chance to see another northern lights show this weekend, thanks to a solar storm that could create auroras as far south as New York and Idaho. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, a coronal mass ejection (CME), which occurs when the sun spews large amounts of plasma and magnetic field out into space, is stirring up geomagnetic activity that could result in a light show tonight and tomorrow. The Center is predicting minor G1 geomagnetic storm conditions with the potential for isolated moderate G2 storms if the CME combines with high-speed solar wind. Geomagnetic storms occur when charged particles from the sun interact with Earth's atmosphere, resulting in auroral activity known as the northern lights. During G1 conditions, auroras can be visible across the most northern states in the U.S., like Michigan and Maine, but if G2 conditions are reached, auroras could stretch as far south as New York, South Dakota, and Idaho. The Center also forecasts that the Kp index will peak at 4.67 on June 7. The Kp Index is a numeric scale, ranging from 0 to 9, that describes geomagnetic activity. Per NOAA, if the Kp calculation is in the 3 to 5 range, the aurora will be brighter, and there will be more auroral activity. Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Don't Miss the Northern Lights This Week—Here's Where the Sky Will Glow Brightest
If you missed the northern lights over the weekend, don't worry. You might have another chance to see this one-of-a-kind phenomenon this week. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), some northern states may experience the aurora borealis again from Monday, June 2 through Tuesday, June 3. Most of Canada will have a chance to see the northern lights tonight, along with some U.S. states. People living in Alaska, Montana, Washington, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and upstate New York have the greatest likelihood of seeing the aurora borealis tonight. Fewer states will have a chance of spotting the phenomenon tomorrow night. According to the NOAA forecast, the northern areas of states that directly border Canada will have the best odds. As Earth approaches the summer solstice on June 21, more northern lights sightings across the U.S. are likely. The geomagnetic storm expected to make the northern lights visible tonight and tomorrow began over the weekend and is being spurred on by an ongoing coronal mass ejection, which occurs when the sun spews large amounts of plasma and magnetic field out into space. The Kp index is expected to reach five tonight and four tomorrow night. The Kp Index is a numeric scale, ranging from one to 10, that describes geomagnetic activity and is calculated by averaging the magnetic activity globally every three hours. Per NOAA, for Kp in the 3 to 5 range, the aurora will become brighter and there will be more auroral activity. NOAA is currently forecasting a geomagnetic storm of G3 or greater, which means auroras may reach further south. The best viewing window is usually between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time. Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Will the northern lights be visible across the Carolinas tonight?
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — There was a significant solar flare that took place Friday evening, which could allow for a geomagnetic storm to impact the Earth! A G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm watch has been issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for Sunday night into Monday. As these coronal mass ejections get closer to Earth, that can sometimes allow the aurora borealis or northern lights to become visible. With recent G4 geomagnetic storms, the northern lights have been visible as far south as Northern Alabama and Northern California. That means there is a legit chance we could see the northern lights across the Carolinas late Sunday night into early Monday. There is also something called the Kp index. Whenever that is projected to be between levels 7-8, the Carolinas can tend to get a good viewing of the northern lights. Tonight's projection of the Kp index from NOAA is around 7.5 to 7.6. As always with these situations, there is a lot of uncertainty here and the viewing of the beautiful aurora borealis is not completely guaranteed! But it is worth a shot to at least try to view them. You obviously want to look north, but you want to try to be away from very little light pollution as well. With recent geomagnetic storms, using your camera on your phone can also be a good way to try and view them. The best chance of the viewing will be late Sunday night into early Monday. Peak viewing looks to be between the hours of 11 p.m. Sunday night and 2 a.m. Monday morning. Clouds will hopefully clear out enough following a few storms this evening. Good luck! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
