Frigid temperatures this weekend prompt cold weather advisories

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A strong geomagnetic storm will deliver the basic ingredients to produce aurora borealis sightings across Minnesota this weekend. But don’t grab your camera just yet.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has posted a 

, noting conditions could make northern lights visible as far south as Iowa. 

The initial timing of the storm looked extremely promising for the Upper Midwest. By Friday, though, it was a little dimmer, with the storm forecast to peak during mostly daylight hours Saturday afternoon. 

The National Weather Service office in Duluth on Friday afternoon tossed a moist blanket on the collective hopes of aurora chasers:

NOAA injected a little hope into the weekend watch. The agency’s 

 has the geomagnetic action still fairly strong — not peak, but not bad — between 7 p.m central time Saturday night to 1 a.m. Sunday morning.

The Twin Cities National Weather Service office pushed the hope meter a little higher later Friday afternoon:

So, maybe. Best to check on updates from 

 and the local weather service offices in 

 before jumping in the car this weekend to find the lights.

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A strong geomagnetic storm will deliver the basic ingredients to produce aurora borealis sightings across Minnesota Saturday and Sunday. But don’t grab your camera just yet.

Northern lights this weekend? Yes, maybe

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