Spingfield, Mo. – A strong geomagnetic storm watch has been issued by the Space Weather Prediction Center, raising the possibility of the northern lights becoming visible across portions of the northern United States over the next few nights.
The increased aurora activity is due to a coronal mass ejection. These charged particles interact with Earth’s magnetic field to potentially produce vibrant displays of green, purple, and red lights across the night sky.
Unfortunately, Missouri sits well south of the area most likely to experience widespread aurora sightings. While the strongest geomagnetic storms have occasionally pushed the northern lights far enough south to be visible in the Ozarks, this round looks to bring relatively low odds.
The further north you live, the better chance you’ll have of spotting a faint glow near the northern horizon if the storm overperforms expectations.
For those hoping to catch a glimpse, the best viewing conditions would occur after sunset and away from city lights. Looking toward the northern horizon is recommended. Additionally, a camera will tend to pick up the light display before the naked eye.
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