The spectacular aurora borealis, a nighttime light show triggered by solar flares that has become unusually popular since Friday, could appear again Sunday night in much of the United States when A strong geomagnetic storm continues.
The aurora borealis, or northern lights, were observed from locations farther south than normal, including much of the United States, Britain and parts of Central America.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center, the green, pink and purple lights will reappear Sunday night in places with dark, clear skies.
“It’s possible that what happens to us later today could be quite similar to what we saw from Friday through,” said Mike Bettwy, executive director of the Space Weather Prediction Center. Friday evening”. “Our forecast is that it will reach that level.”
Mr. Bettwy said there were reports of visible lights in Puerto Rico, South Florida and parts of Central America on Friday night, and that could happen again Sunday night if the storm so intense.
He said the aurora “rises and falls without much reason,” making it difficult to predict the best time to observe the phenomenon.
“In general, the darker the sky, the more likely you are to see it,” Mr Bettwy said.
In brightly lit places like cities, it’s harder to see.
Cloudy weather can also hinder visibility. This could pose a challenge for those hoping to see the northern lights in the central United States, where rain and storms are forecast.
Tony Fracasso, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, said the best chance for clear skies is in much of the West, as well as from Ohio to the Mid-Atlantic and possibly in North Dakota and Minnesota.
He said New England is “a question mark.”
In the UK, thunderstorms are moving north across Wales into northern England and Scotland On Sunday nightbut more evident in the south and east.
If you are in a secluded area, take photos or videos with your cell phone. The camera’s sensor is more sensitive to the wavelengths produced by the aurora and can display a different image than what you can see with the naked eye.
This weekend’s performance is the result of the strong geomagnetic storm to Earth since October 2003. As geomagnetic activity increases, auroras become brighter and more active, and they extend into regions where they are not normally seen.
The Space Weather Prediction Center has a five-level scale to evaluate geomagnetic storms. A clock is in place on Sunday to qualify for level 4 or higher.
Storm conditions were at category three and four, with at one point being at category five earlier in the day, the center said.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, geomagnetic storms can interfere with power grids, communications and navigation systems, but as of Sunday morning, the storm had no significant impact.
The Space Weather Prediction Center said the storm will continue through Monday.
