Sun exhibits X-flare activity, prompting the appearance of Northern Lights; discover the locations and timings.
The Aurora Borealis forecast is looking promising due to a sequence of significant solar X-ray flares, making the nights of January 4th and 5th, 2025, potentially promising for aurora sightings in northern and Midwest U.S. states.
Following extraordinary displays last week, when the New Year celebrations coincided with aurora appearances at unusually low latitudes - including Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Wales in the U.K, and France, as well as in Alaska, Scandinavia, and New Zealand - according to SpaceWeather.com.
Aurora Borealis: Forecast
Experts at the Space Weather Prediction Center of NOAA are warning of the possibility of a G1-class geomagnetic storm, triggered when a coronal mass ejection - a cloud of charged particles that boosts the solar wind - collides with Earth's magnetic field.
NOAA's aurora observation line forecast for January 4th suggests that the aurora may be visible from Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine.
Aurora Borealis: Solar Maximum
These events occur during a period of high solar activity. In October, NASA and NOAA’s Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel announced that the sun had reached "solar maximum," its maximum magnetic activity in the 11-year solar cycle. Solar activity is currently at a 23-year high.
Notably, X-class solar flares on the sun - frequently followed by Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) - occurred again on January 3rd and 4th, which might result in further geomagnetic storms throughout the week.
Aurora Borealis: Predictions
Auroras are notoriously challenging to predict, as it's hard to know when clouds of charged particles leaving the sun will collide with Earth's atmosphere. The magnetic intensity and speed - and, therefore, the specific timeline of arrival for these coronal mass ejections - can only be calculated once detected by the DSCOVR and ACE satellites, which orbit Earth about a million miles away.
For this reason, NOAA advises aurora enthusiasts to closely monitor its 30-minute forecast.
Solar maximum is forecast to continue for an extended period, with auroras at lower latitudes than usual expected for at least the next year.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
- With the promising forecast for northern lights,ausora enthusiasts in New York might want to keep an eye out for an aurora sighting on January 4th or 5th, 2025.
- The SpaceWeather.com alert has suggested that the aurora could potentially be visible in New York, similar to the extraordinary displays seen last week in Mexico, Colorado, and other unusual latitudes.
- Photographers in Washington state might also want to prepare their cameras for potential northern lights photos, as NOAA's aurora observation line forecast suggests that Washington could see the aurora on January 4th.
- The G1-class geomagnetic storm might also make the northern lights visible in New York, joining the list of cities in the U.S. and around the world that have seen the phenomenon at unusually low latitudes.
- Those interested in spotting the aurora in New York should regularly check the NOAA's 30-minute forecast and be prepared for potential sightings throughout the week, as further geomagnetic storms might occur.
