Low chance to see the Northern Lights tonight
UPDATE tonight's low chance looks even lower, essentially zero.
Once again why I try to temper expectations. Many end up like this.
— Tom Coomes (@TomCoomes) December 10, 2020
There are also other factors like timing and sky conditions. If it’s daylight or cloudy it doesn’t matter.#NorthernLights https://t.co/P0k7SFRAVS
There is a low chance that the Northern Lights will be visible in northern Michiana this evening. This is due to a G2-G3 Geomagnetic storm that is impacting earths atmosphere. This in return influences our magnetic field to bring the Northern Lights into the lower latitudes. G2-G3 storms happen roughly 200-600 times every 11 years, or one solar cycle. Geomagnetic storms are produced from higher amounts of solar energy emitted from the sun towards the earth.
What can you expect to see? The Northern Lights that you would see here in Michiana would be very faint. More like a greenish hue on the horizon. You will need to be well outside of the city lights, far from any light pollution. You will also need to give your eyes 20-30 minutes to adjust to the darkness, so that the glow is more easily seen. Unfortunately, you won't be seeing the vibrant and dancing lights in the sky, like you would at higher latitudes.
Mostly clear skies are in the forecast for most of the evening, but as we get closer to midnight more cloud cover will roll in, causing visibility to diminish. So if you want the chance to see the green glow, head outside away from the city lights and look to the north and northwest.