The aurora borealis is back and is expected to be on display through the weekend.
The National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration has predicted the states with the best views include several in the northern parts of the U.S.
On Jan. 20, the sun experienced a coronal mass ejection, which is what causes the auroras, according to NASA. The space agency said the ejection was an M5.5-class flare – a medium-strength solar flare – and is headed toward Earth. A G2-level geomagnetic storm, classified as a “moderate” storm, is predicted by NOAA. Because these are projections, they could change as more information emerges.
Best places to see the aurora borealis?
The northern lights should be visible in several northern states this weekend if the weather is clear. They are: Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
On Friday evening, in portions of Wyoming, northern Iowa, northern New York, Vermont and New Hampshire, the aurora will be more intense and visible. The solar storm’s fiercest phase is expected to come in the early hours of Saturday. Sunday evening and continuing into Monday, the aurora borealis should begin to fade, according to NOAA’s forecast.