Northern Lights: Will we see it in North Carolina, Virginia? Check out the best chances for viewing in the United States
Editor's Note: Video features Northern Lights captured originally on March 31, 2023.
The Northern Lights could be visible over part of the United States on Thursday and Friday nights.
Already, the aurora borealis or Northern Lights have been viewed in both North Carolina and Virginia previously this year on two separate occasions.
On March 24, sightings were reported along the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside of Asheville.
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There were also reports of sightings in Virginia. Peter Forister Photography shared his stunning images with WXII 12 after capturing the explosion of colors over the Shenandoah Valley.
“This night will go down in my memory as one of the most unexpected but remarkable experiences I've had living in Virginia,” Peter Forister posted on his Facebook page. The images were captured near the Big Meadows in the Shenandoah Valley.
Additional sightings were reported a month later along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Craggy Gardens area and also along the parkway in Floyd, VA.
Check out the Northern Lights captured along the Blue Ridge Parkway in April, here.
Forister said he would be out again, this time around looking for the Northern Lights.
So, what will the forecast for the Northern Lights be this time around?
According to NOAA, the aurora borealis forecast graphic models for tonight and Friday night reveal the southern-most locations from which people could view the aurora on the northern horizon.
Thursday Night's Graphic Model
The best time to view would be between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. NOAA said the aurora is typically shown as a green oval centered on Earth’s magnetic pole. They reveal the green ovals turn red when the aurora is forecasted to be more intense. Aurora can often be observed somewhere on Earth from just after sunset or just before sunrise, according to NOAA.
Friday Night's Graphic Model
The Northern Lights could be visible in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma but here's to hoping we see something spectacular in North Carolina and in Virginia. However, there will be considerable clouds around Friday night and perhaps some rain too.
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