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Northern Lights in MN: Aurora may be visible on Thursday

By FOX 9 Staff
Published  October 9, 2024 5:04pm CDT
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FOX 9

The Brief

    • The NOAA is forecasting a "severe" geomagnetic storm on Thursday.
    • As a result, the Northern Lights could be visible as far south as northern Missouri.

(FOX 9) - If you missed out earlier this week, Minnesotans will get a second chance to see the Northern Lights on Thursday.

What we know

A coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun will reach Earth's atmosphere on Thursday, creating a geomagnetic storm – which fuels the aurora.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration forecasts the storm will reach a G-4 rating – or become a "severe" geomagnetic storm. The highest rating on the geomagnetic scale is G-5.

The NOAA's forecast states the Northern Lights could be visible as far south as northern Missouri.

Timeline

As of Thursday afternoon, the geomagnetic storm reached "severe" or G-4 status between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. central time.

The NOAA forecast now has the G-4 storm lasting through 1 a.m. CT.

  • Thursday, 1 p.m.: Storm reaches G-4 rating
  • Thursday, 6:37 p.m.: Sunset in Minnesota
  • Thursday, 7 p.m. to Friday, 1 a.m.: Storm remains G-4 status
  • Friday, 1 a.m.: Storm is expected to decrease to G-3 status for the remainder of the overnight hours.

The bad news: Clouds could hamper the view.

Context

Two solar flares last week led to geomagnetic storms last weekend and earlier this week, creating aurora viewing opportunities in Minnesota.

Viewers shared photos with FOX 9 on Monday showing colorful Northern Lights just north of the Twin Cities in Lino Lakes, East Bethel, Mora, and Osceola, Wis. For reference, that storm was rated a G-3.

There are concerns that the storm, which can hamper satellite and radio communications, could hinder recovery efforts in Florida after Hurricane Milton makes landfall on Wednesday. But, it's worth noting that the impact of storms is usually limited.

Tips for viewing the Northern Lights

The NOAA recommends the following tips for the best chance to see the Northern Lights.

  • Go north.
  • Go to areas with less light pollution. You can use this map to find the best spots near you.
  • Often, the best times to see the aurora are closer to midnight.
  • The spring and fall are often the best times to see the aurora, because "the subtleties in the way the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere" can create larger geomagnetic storms.