Northern Lights Could Be Seen In North Dakota This Week

NORTH DAKOTA — North Dakotans may want to look to the sky this week as the Northern Lights will likely be visible across the state, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Officials issued a moderate geomagnetic storm watch after Monday's dramatic explosion on the sun produced a coronal mass ejection.

The optimal time to view the lights will be between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 1 a.m. Thursday, according to the NOAA's three-day space weather forecast. An expected peak of 6 on the Kp index, the global geomagnetic activity index, is forecast during those hours.

As the agency measures the geomagnetic activity level produced from the solar flare, most of North Dakota is rated to see lights when the Kp index is at 5 with some northern parts of the state close to the designated line to see activity at Kp index 3. That indicates there is a good chance for North Dakotans to see the lights Wednesday night.

Forecasts for space weather and geomagnetic activity can be tricky, though, according to the agency. A more accurate look at the probability of seeing the lights is through the NOAA's 30-minute Aurora forecast. The forecast shows a map of the North and South Poles along with color-coded probabilities, which can be a useful tool when actively attempting to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

According to the National Weather Service, the Aurora Borealis phenomenon occurs because the sun emits electrically-charged particles called ions, which correspondingly move away from the sun in a stream of plasma, or ionized gas, known as the solar wind. As the plasma comes in contact with the Earth's magnetic field, some ions become trapped and interact with the Earth's ionosphere roughly 60-80 miles above the surface. This interaction causes the ions to glow, similarly to how a neon sign lights up when electrons pass through inert gases.