WESTON, Mo. (W1N) — Northwest Missouri and other parts of the Lower 48 may have a chance to see the aurora borealis Thursday night as a strong geomagnetic storm impacts Earth.
The storm hit Earth around 10 a.m. Thursday and is expected to continue throughout the night. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center expects periods of weakening and escalation in geomagnetic storm levels, causing the northern lights to pulse with vivid displays followed by periods of duller colors.
The center’s forecast indicates areas north of Interstate 70 could see the aurora on the northern horizon.
Experts recommend getting away from city lights and looking north for a faint glow along the horizon after your eyes adjust to the darkness. The glow may appear better on long-exposure cameras, including some smartphone cameras.
The Weston 1 News Weather team expects good viewing conditions, as skies will be mainly clear.
On average, the best time to view the aurora is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time. The lights could be visible as early as 8:16 p.m. when twilight ends in Weston.