The Northern Lights are putting on a show for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, delivering a beautiful display of light across several U.S. states. Here’s how to watch the aurora borealis this week.
According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), this week’s Northern Lights will be visible on Jan. 19 and linger through to the next day in some areas. Even so, you’re best off catching the aurora on Monday if you’re able, as it will be significantly less prominent later in the week. Those at higher latitudes will have a better chance of seeing the aurora, though the notable strength of this week’s display means the Northern Lights may be visible as low as Alabama and northern California.
This wide range of visibility is because Monday’s Northern Lights have been caused by the largest solar radiation storm in over 20 years, resulting in a particularly strong aurora. The SWPC has issued a severe G4 geomagnetic storm alert in response, warning that it may cause widespread problems with the power grid, and that GPS navigation and high frequency radio may also be inoperable for hours. Infrastructure operators and authorities have been notified about the expected disruptions.
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