Aurora Show Coming to Western Washington!

Seattle-area stargazers got a spectacular view of the aurora borealis Friday night as a strong solar storm hit Earth.

Check the space forecast for northern lights alerts there might be an aurora show coming to Western Washington.

A severe geomagnetic storm on Friday night could make the Northern Lights also known as the aurora borealis visible in Western Washington.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a geomagnetic storm watch for Friday night, May 10, 2024. The storm is expected to be caused by a coronal mass ejection from the sun that is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field on Friday afternoon.

If the storm is strong enough, it could cause the aurora borealis to be visible as far south as Western Washington.

The aurora borealis is a natural light display in the sky, caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with Earth's magnetic field. The particles are drawn to the magnetic poles, where they collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, causing them to emit light.

The aurora borealis is typically visible in high-latitude regions, such as Alaska and Canada. However, during strong geomagnetic storms, the aurora can be visible at much lower latitudes.

If you are in Western Washington, you may be able to see the aurora borealis on Friday night. The best time to see the aurora is typically between 10 pm and 1 am. Find a dark location with a clear view of the northern sky, and be patient. You may need to wait for several minutes or even hours before you see the aurora.