Some areas of the U.S. could see the northern lights this Thanksgiving

Solar storms are expected to bring the possibility of viewing the northern lights in the U.S. during Thanksgiving weekend, with minor to moderate geomagnetic storms likely Thursday and Friday. The storms are a result of a filament eruption on Monday that sent high-energy plasma toward Earth. The brightness and duration of the auroras depend on the strength of the storms, with some states like Washington, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine having a higher chance of seeing the lights. However, areas with cloudy conditions may limit visibility. These solar storms occur when coronal mass ejections from the sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field and upper atmosphere, creating radiant auroras. The upcoming activity is not expected to cause major disruptions to communications systems. The sun is currently in a cycle of increased activity, leading to more frequent sightings of the northern lights even in areas farther south. Viewers can track the latest forecast on NOAA’s Aurora Dashboard to see when and where the auroras will be visible.

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