Northern Lights May Be Seen As Far South As RI This Month: Here's Why

RHODE ISLAND — Holes in Earth’s magnetic field could cause more frequent aurora borealis, or northern lights, displays throughout the month, and they could even be seen as far south as Rhode Island, where the ethereal displays are uncommon, but not unheard of.

Space weather forecasters expect March to be the best month in two decades to see the curtains of mostly green but also pink, purple and red that normally are confined to areas around Earth’s North Pole.

When conditions are right, the phenomenon can be seen as far south as Florida and Arizona, Business Insider reports.

There are a couple of reasons March could be an opportunity for more Americans to see the northern lights.

One is that solar activity, which plays a crucial role in the appearance of northern lights, ramps up around the time of the seasonal equinoxes (the vernal, or spring, equinox is on Tuesday, March 19). Historically, March has seen more auroras than any other month, although October, the first full month after the autumnal, or fall, equinox, is a close second, according to a NASA study of 75 years worth of data.

April and September were the third- and fourth-busiest months for auroras.

The biggest aurora event of 2023 occurred last March, when a series of solar activities triggered auroras powerful enough to be seen in places along the country’s southern border.