Possible Northern Lights Display in Some Parts of the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day

Cool and rainy weather across the country may offer some Americans the chance to see the northern lights during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Minor to moderate geomagnetic storms are expected Thursday and Friday due to a filament eruption on Monday, sending high-energy plasma toward Earth. States like Washington, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine have the best chance of viewing the aurora borealis, with northern parts of Idaho, Wyoming, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire also having a chance. The intensity and duration of the northern lights will depend on the strength of the solar storms, reaching G1 or G2 conditions at times. While clear conditions are optimal for viewing, cloudy areas may limit visibility in parts of the Northeast and New England, as well as near the Great Lakes. Unlike previous solar storms earlier this year, these upcoming events are not expected to cause major disruptions to communications systems unless they are stronger than predicted. These solar storms occur when coronal mass ejections from the sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field, creating colorful auroras in the sky. The sun is currently approaching its expected peak in activity next July, resulting in more frequent sightings of the northern lights in lower latitudes this year. Viewers can track the latest activity and forecasts on the NOAA’s Aurora Dashboard to determine the best times and locations to see the northern lights.

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