Northern lights may be visible in Vermont Thanksgiving night

On By Littum

The Aurora Borealis appears over the northern United States

The aurora borealis appeared in parts of the northern United States on Thursday. Footage shows the colorful northern lights visible from Lewes, Delaware.

It looks like Thanksgiving night is going to be a little brighter, at least in the Vermont night sky.

The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, may be visible in Vermont and parts of the United States during the night of Nov. 28, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

Tuesday, the administration’s prediction center issued a warning that a geomagnetic storm may result on Thursday.

Officials predict geomagnetic stormwhich is when a burst of solar material and magnetic fields arrives at Earth, can bring colorful auroras over some northern states as well as some of the Midwest.

“Watches at this level are not common,” NOAA said.

Here’s what you need to know about the weather forecast.

When will the Northern Lights be visible in Vermont?

“A G1 (Minor) watch has been issued on Nov 28 and a G2 (Moderate) watch has been issued on Nov 29 due to the arrival of a CME associated with a filament eruption that lightened the Sun late on the 25th. Nov,” NOAA said.

The coronal mass ejection, which can cause a geomagnetic storm, is expected to arrive on Thanksgiving Day and continue into Black Friday.

However, the lights may end up being difficult to see since snow is forecast in Vermont on Thanksgiving, and cloud cover and seeing the lights don’t mix. But the storm is supposed to end tonight, so there’s a chance for skies to clear.

Vermont Weather: How much snow does Vermont get on Thanksgiving? See map of expected snowfall

Where will the northern lights be visible?

The aurora is expected to be visible over some of New England and the upper region of the Northeast and Midwest.

How to see the Northern Lights

The best time to see the Northern Lights is when it’s dark outside, usually between an hour or two after midnight, according to NOAA. Officials recommend getting away from city lights and sticking to lower latitudes.

“There may be aurora in the evening and morning, but it is usually not as active and therefore not as visually appealing,” NOAA said.

Where to check the northern lights view

To track the latest Northern Lights forecast, check out these sites:

  • The Space Weather Prediction Center
  • Space.com
  • Aurora forecast page (NOAA)
  • Aurora Reach
  • Aurora warnings

Are the northern lights dangerous?

The solar storms that cause the northern lights can affect the technology by inducing extra currents in the ground that can degrade the operation of the electricity grid, according to NOAA.

Geomagnetic storms can also alter the signal from radio navigation systems, according to NOAA.