Severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings issued for Twin Cities metro area

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

 across the northern rim of the United States.

 across many northern states Thursday and Friday, but they may be brief and and seeing them will depend on how intense the solar storms get, NOAA meteorologist Mike Bettwy said in an email.

Much of the following states are best positioned for potential auroras: Washington, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine. Northern parts of Idaho, Wyoming, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire may also see auroras.

Space weather experts say auroras could be visible from 9 p.m. CST Thursday to midnight Friday CST, though it's difficult to pin down an exact window. Updated forecasts may be available as the event draws closer on 

NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center website

To spy the spectacle, wait for clear skies to get dark and then go outside, ideally away from bright city lights. Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren’t visible to the naked eye.

 is currently at the maximum phase of its 

, making solar surges and northern lights more frequent. Earlier this week, the sun shot a pulse of high-energy plasma towards Earth.

The active period is expected to last for at least another year, though scientists won't know when solar activity peaked until months after the fact, according to NASA and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Experts don’t expect major communication disruptions from this week's solar storm.

In May, NOAA issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning — it was the strongest storm in more than two decades, producing light displays across the Northern Hemisphere. Last month, a powerful solar storm dazzled skygazers far from the Arctic Circle when auroras appeared in unexpected places, including Germany, the United Kingdom, New England and New York City.

Environmental News

Lifestyle

Outdoors

Homepage

The Associated Press

Author

Pale auroras may be seen Thursday and Friday across northern states including Montana, Minnesota and upper New York — as well as much of Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Ben Hovland | MPR News

Purple and green aurora while the sun's glow is visible 

Northern lights may be faintly visible across parts of the U.S. this Thanksgiving

Go Deeper.

Like this?