The northern lights may be vibrant in the Lower Mainland this weekend, provided the weather forecast can stay the course.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a G1 (Minor) or greater geomagnetic storm watch for Saturday, Jan. 25 due to the potential arrival of a coronal mass ejection from the sun on Jan. 22.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) expects "high aurora activity" late Friday night and into the wee hours of Saturday morning, noting that these auroral displays may be visible overhead in cities such as Inuvik, Juneau, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Thunder Bay. They may also be visible low on the horizon from Seattle to Chicago to Boston to Halifax.
Since the northern lights will extend south past Seattle, there's an even better chance Metro Vancouverites will observe the display low on the horizon.
The university's online aurora monitor map shows what regions the aurora's green glow will likely reach and other areas where it is less likely. Additionally, a brief description of the aurora activity is below the map. You can switch to different days to see the forecast, too.
A second opportunity to view the northern lights
The UAF expects the aurora to be visible at different intervals starting Friday and continuing through Saturday at varied intensity.
Active auroral displays may be visible again later on Saturday in similar areas. However, the aurora's reach isn't expected to reach as far south, although it may be visible in Vancouver.
Thankfully, the Metro Vancouver weather forecast looks like it will cooperate with the timing of the celestial events.
V.I.A.'s Downtown Centre Weatherhood station shows crystal clear skies overnight Friday, providing the ideal canvas for Mother Nature's painted display. Skywatchers can expect a chilly overnight low of 1 C Friday night, while Saturday's forecast includes a high of 6 C and a low of 1 C. Skies are also expected to remain clear on Saturday.
People hoping to view the lights can use Environment Canada's online cloud prediction tool for astronomical purposes to see when skies are expected to be clear.
Stay up-to-date with hyperlocal forecasts across 50 neighbourhoods in the Lower Mainland with V.I.A.'s Weatherhood.
