The northern lights captivated skywatchers across the state last night, and residents of the Fox Cities should be able to catch another glimpse of the colors tonight.
Following an eruption of solar material earlier Tuesday, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center issued a severe geomagnetic storm watch for Thursday through early Saturday. Watches at this level are very rare. Strong geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure, potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operation, NOAA says. With these conditions, northern lights could be seen as far south as Alabama and northern California.
Last night’s light show was so vibrant that it prompted NOAA to issue a rare G4 geomagnetic storm watch for the second time this year .
Here’s what to know:
When can I see the northern lights in Appleton, Neenah, Kaukauna, Menasha?
When the northern lights are active, the best time to see them is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
According to the National Weather Service, tonight’s forecast for the Fox Cities calls for mostly clear skies, further improving the chance to catch another glimpse of the northern lights.