Northern lights update: Latest forecast reduces Maryland's chance of seeing Aurora borealis this week

Kate Perez, USA TODAY
Updated ·3 min read

The latest forecast has reduced Maryland's odds of getting to view the northern lights this week, but there's still a chance some people could catch the aurora borealis in the sky later this week.

Maryland was originally one of 17 states predicted to possibly see the northern lights but some of those factors have changed, meteorologists said Tuesday.

This is not the first time this year that the natural phenomenon will be visible. In late April, a geomagnetic storm created lights that were shown over 30 U.S. states. The lights were visible in Iowa, North Dakota, Kansas and more.

While Maryland is not currently listed as a place that has a chance of seeing the lights, the forecast could still change before Thursday. If viewing the northern lights is on your bucket list, you'll want to be ready. Here's everything you need to know about catching a glimpse.

More: Want to see the northern lights? Good news: Experts predict years of awesome aurora viewing.

Where could the northern lights appear in Maryland?

A previous forecast from the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute stated the northern lights could be visible low on the horizon in Annapolis. The current forecast no longer lists Maryland as a potential location.

When time will the northern lights be visible?

The best chance of viewing the aurora borealis is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center says. People interested in seeing them should get away from city lights.

The higher the geomagnetic activity, the brighter the aurora. As the day approaches, NOAA will monitor the activity and release a forecast of its own.

This week's northern lights display: Here's where you might view them in each state.

Where else can the northern lights be seen?

Here are the other states that may see the northern lights this week:

  • Alaska

  • Montana

  • South Dakota

  • Wisconsin

  • Michigan

  • Oregon

When was the last major northern light event in the U.S.?

A geomagnetic storm created lights that were visible in 30 U.S. states in late April. The aurora could be seen in parts of Iowa, North Dakota and Kansas.

More on solar events in the east: What to know about the 2024 solar eclipse in VT: It's expected to bring 250,000 tourists

What are the northern lights?

The aurora borealis is a phenomenon that creates glowing, colorful lights in the sky that can be seen in certain parts of the world, especially around the magnetic poles in the northern and southern hemispheres.

What causes the northern lights?

The natural phenomenon is usually caused by solar winds coming from the sun and Earth's magnetic field, according to the NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.

"Aurora is the name given to the glow or light produced when electrons from space flow down Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere in a ring or oval centered on the magnetic pole of Earth," the website says. "The collisions produce light much like how electrons flowing through gas in a neon light collide with neon and other gases to produce different colored light bulbs."

Kate Perez covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kperez@gannett.com or on Twitter @katecperez_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Northern lights update 2023: Chance of northern lights in Maryland reduced