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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Michigan among states that could glimpse northern lights. See map
Much of Michigan could see the northern lights on July 26, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) forecast. The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, may be visible in as many as 14 northern states tonight, according to NOAA's SWPC dashboard. According to NOAA, "view lines" Michiganders as far south as Grand Rapids, Lansing and Port Huron may be able to catch a glimpse of the shimmering lights in the night sky to the north. The lights could be overhead for people in parts of the Upper Peninsula. NOAA says a G1 geomagnetic storm, a worldwide disturbance of the Earth's magnetic field, is expected to produce a Kp rating of 5. Kp is an index used to indicate the severity of the global magnetic disturbances in near-Earth space, NOAA said. Kp ratings increase from zero to 9+. NOAA is predicting moderate and minor geomagnetic storm impacts. Some high latitude electrical systems could suffer damage, radios could be affected among other issues. When could the northern lights be visible? The northern lights could be visible in Michigan Saturday, July 26, according to SPWC. What are the northern lights? The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are waves of light created when the solar wind strikes the atmosphere, creating a display of moving lights in the night sky. Which states could see the northern lights? The NOAA says the red "view line" marks the southernmost extent where aurora might be seen on the northern horizon. While more than a dozen states have a chance to see the northern lights on July 26, Alaska has the greatest chance to see the spectacle, followed by parts of the following states: Idaho Michigan Washington Montana Wyoming North Dakota South Dakota Minnesota Wisconsin New York Vermont New Hampshire Maine Why do the northern lights have different colors? The color of the aurora depends on which gas is being excited by the electrons and on how much energy is being exchanged, NASA said. Oxygen emits either a greenish-yellow light (the most familiar color of the aurora) or a red light; nitrogen generally gives off a blue light. The oxygen and nitrogen molecules also emit ultraviolet light, which can only be detected by special cameras on satellites. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Northern lights forecast: Michigan, other states could see aurora borealis July 26 Solve the daily Crossword


Economic Times
6 days ago
- Climate
- Economic Times
Northern Lights alert! These US states could see the sky glow green tonight
Residents across parts of the northern United States might want to keep their eyes on the night sky this week as the northern lights could make a rare appearance, as per a to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC),the aurora borealis is expected to be visible in up to 14 US states between Tuesday and Wednesday night, as per Newsweek report. The northern lights, those dazzling, greenish waves of light typically reserved for high-latitude countries like Norway or Iceland, could show up in skies from Washington to Maine, and as far south as Iowa and New York, as per the report. Tuesday Night: The aurora may be visible in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, as reported by Newsweek. Wednesday Night: The display could continue in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine, along with northern New York near the Canadian border, as reported by Newsweek. ALSO READ: TD Bank tells employees: Get ready to work four days in office! Following trend among largest Canadian banksMike Bettwy, operations chief at the SWPC, told Newsweek that the best viewing conditions include: Staying up late as the peak aurora hours are typically between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Getting away from city lights and finding dark, open skies Using a smartphone or camera — which may pick up the lights even when they are not visible to the naked eye The Space Weather Prediction Center said that, "The aurora is not visible during daylight hours. The aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as much as 1000 km away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right," as quoted by Newsweek. ALSO READ: Netflix's The Hunting Wives sets the stage for Season 2! Cast, plot, spoiler, ending explained, and all details you need to know The SWPC explained that the northern lights' phenomenon occurs when electrons collide with the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere and the electrons get a boost of energy in an area of Earth's magnetic field on the night side of the planet, as reported by the electrons are energized, they then traverse along the magnetic field toward the polar regions and when they hit gases like oxygen and nitrogen high in the sky, they transfer their energy to those gases, which "excites" them and as the gases calm back down, they release that energy as glowing light, according to the Newsweek there are "large" events, the aurora might even be visible to places as far south as parts of the United States, Europe, and Asia, while, during "very large" events, it can be seen even further away from the polar regions, as reported by from clear skies, visibility can also depend on factors like low light pollution, the intensity of the aurora, then even in areas within the forecast's visibility band, cloud cover or city lights may prevent a sighting, as per the Newsweek report. Can I see the northern lights in the US today?Yes. If you live in one of the 14 forecasted states and skies are clear, you might spot them, as per the Newsweek report. Is it safe to look at the aurora with the naked eye? Absolutely. Unlike the sun or eclipses, auroras are completely safe to watch, as per the report.


Time of India
6 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Northern Lights alert! These US states could see the sky glow green tonight
Northern Lights May Glow Over 14 US States This Week — Here's Where to Look Where and When to Watch Northern Lights In US According to the Space Weather Prediction Center viewline forecast: Live Events How to Catch a Glimpse Of Aurora Borealis Staying up late as the peak aurora hours are typically between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Getting away from city lights and finding dark, open skies Using a smartphone or camera — which may pick up the lights even when they are not visible to the naked eye What Causes the Northern Lights? Why Visibility Isn't Guaranteed FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Residents across parts of the northern United States might want to keep their eyes on the night sky this week as the northern lights could make a rare appearance, as per a to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC),the aurora borealis is expected to be visible in up to 14 US states between Tuesday and Wednesday night, as per Newsweek northern lights, those dazzling, greenish waves of light typically reserved for high-latitude countries like Norway or Iceland, could show up in skies from Washington to Maine, and as far south as Iowa and New York, as per the aurora may be visible in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, as reported by display could continue in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine, along with northern New York near the Canadian border, as reported by READ: TD Bank tells employees: Get ready to work four days in office! Following trend among largest Canadian banks Mike Bettwy, operations chief at the SWPC, told Newsweek that theinclude:The Space Weather Prediction Center said that, "The aurora is not visible during daylight hours. The aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as much as 1000 km away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right," as quoted by READ: Netflix's The Hunting Wives sets the stage for Season 2! Cast, plot, spoiler, ending explained, and all details you need to know The SWPC explained that the northern lights' phenomenon occurs when electrons collide with the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere and the electrons get a boost of energy in an area of Earth's magnetic field on the night side of the planet, as reported by the electrons are energized, they then traverse along the magnetic field toward the polar regions and when they hit gases like oxygen and nitrogen high in the sky, they transfer their energy to those gases, which "excites" them and as the gases calm back down, they release that energy as glowing light, according to the Newsweek there are "large" events, the aurora might even be visible to places as far south as parts of the United States, Europe, and Asia, while, during "very large" events, it can be seen even further away from the polar regions, as reported by from clear skies, visibility can also depend on factors like low light pollution, the intensity of the aurora, then even in areas within the forecast's visibility band, cloud cover or city lights may prevent a sighting, as per the Newsweek If you live in one of the 14 forecasted states and skies are clear, you might spot them, as per the Newsweek Unlike the sun or eclipses, auroras are completely safe to watch, as per the report.


Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Climate
- Newsweek
Map Shows States Where Northern Lights Could Be Visible Tonight, Tomorrow
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Americans in multiple northern states may have a chance to see the northern lights this week. According to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), the aurora borealis could be visible in as many as 14 states over Tuesday and Wednesday night. Why It Matters While NOAA's forecast may not guarantee a sighting, it offers a somewhat rare chance for residents of states ranging from Washington to Maine to witness the celestial phenomenon. What To Know According to the SWPC's viewline forecast, the aurora borealis may be visible over parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, the SWPC forecasts the northern lights could be seen over parts of Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, and along New York's northern border with Canada. The SWPC explains that the northern lights occur when electrons collide with the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere. These electrons get a boost of energy in an area of Earth's magnetic field on the night side of the planet. Once energized, they then traverse along the magnetic field toward the polar regions. When they hit gases like oxygen and nitrogen high in the sky, they transfer their energy to those gases, which "excites" them. As the gases calm back down, they release that energy as glowing light. During "large" events, the aurora may be visible as far south as parts of the United States, Europe, and Asia. In "very large" events, it can be seen even further away from the polar regions. In addition to clear skies, visibility can depend on factors such as low light pollution and the intensity of the aurora at any given time. Even in areas within the forecast's visibility band, cloud cover or city lights may prevent a sighting. These Space Weather Prediction Center maps show the potential viewlines for the northern lights on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. These Space Weather Prediction Center maps show the potential viewlines for the northern lights on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. SWPC What People Are Saying Space Weather Prediction Center operations chief Mike Bettwy previously told Newsweek: "General tips include viewing late at night, away from city lights, and taking pictures with your iPhone or other technology since the aurora may be visible on those devices even though the human eye may not always detect it." The Space Weather Prediction Center says: "The aurora is not visible during daylight hours. The aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as much as 1000 km away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right." What Happens Next The SWPC issues frequent forecast updates. Anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis should consult the latest outlook and head to dark, clear spots with a good view of the northern horizon.

Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Northern lights may appear in 14 states, including Wisconsin, on July 1 and 2
Fireworks — and drone shows — may not be the only thing lighting up the Wisconsin night sky this week. There will be another chance to see the northern lights on July 1 and 2, according to the NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. The July 1 aurora forecast has ha a Kp index of five while July 2 has an index of four. For indexes in this range, lights will likely be "brighter and there will be more auroral activity" — if they make an appearance — since they're moving further from the poles, according to the SWPC. The SWPC also has an aurora forecast tool, which provides a short-term forecast. The forecaster shows the lights' location and intensity for the next 30 to 90 minutes. Luckily, the weather should cooperate if the northern lights make an appearance this week. The National Weather Service forecasts clear skies for most of the state on July 1, including in Green Bay, Appleton, Milwaukee and Madison. Milwaukee is also expected to be mostly clear on July 2, along with Madison, Kenosha and Racine. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms later on in Madison, Green Bay and Appleton. More: After one cloudy day, Milwaukee weather will be great heading into the 4th of July The SWPC says the lights are typically best 'within an hour or two' of midnight, meaning you should keep an eye out between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. You should also head away from city lights and seek high vantage points for a better chance of seeing them. You can find a full list of tips on the SWPC's website. Here's a list of spots across Wisconsin that offer some of the best views of the night sky: Newport State Park, Ellison Bay Driftless Region, Wisconsin Harrington Beach State Park, Belgium Kettle Moraine State Forest, Eagle Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan Parnell Tower, Plymouth This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Aurora borealis may make Fourth of July week appearance in Wisconsin