The Northern Lights may be visible in the Midwest today. Can you see them from Wisconsin?
Last month’s dazzling display of Northern Lights across the country might have left you wondering when, if ever, you would ever see the phenomenon again. For upper Midwesterners, it might be sooner than you think.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the aurora borealis could be dimly visible among far north upper Midwest states later Friday and Saturday. The SWPC did not specify which parts of the upper Midwest are most likely to see the lights, but northern Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have historically been aurora borealis viewing points.
How likely are the Northern Lights to be visible?
SWPC issued the storm watch as a result of a coronal mass ejection on June 25. According to NASA, coronal mass ejections are “huge bubbles of coronal plasma threaded by intense magnetic field lines that are ejected from the sun over the course of several hours.”
If and when a CME arrives at Earth, it can cause a geomagnetic storm, which is how we can see the Northern Lights. SWPC says it has “low to moderate” confidence that Thursday’s coronal mass ejection will hit Earth.
Last month’s light display was triggered by at least seven coronal mass ejections, leading to a “G4,” or severe, geomagnetic storm watch. In contrast, this weekend’s storm watch is only at a minor, G1 level.
Correction on our previous post - any CME arrival potential is anticipated for Friday, 28 June on into 29 June. The G1 Watch is now out for both Friday and Saturday UTC-days. pic.twitter.com/uKWDdTwMLd
— NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) June 27, 2024
Can you see the Northern Lights from Wisconsin this weekend?
If the geomagnetic storm occurs Friday or Saturday, the aurora will only be visible from the northernmost points of the Midwest, according to SWPC. For most Wisconsinites, this probably means they are outside the area of visibility, but it might be worth keeping an eye on the skies tonight for northernmost residents of the state along Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
You can also keep an eye on the SWPC’s space weather updates to see the latest information on the storm watch.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Northern Lights may be visible in upper Midwest states today
