While a solar storm may make the Northern Lights visible over the skies of several northern U.S. states this week, a cloudy forecast for Ohio makes the possibility of viewing the phenomenon here remote.
The lights are expected to be visible in states from Alaska to Maryland between July 12 and 13, with the highest activity on July 13, according to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Ohio will have the best chance to see the display on July 12.
News 5 Meteorologist Trent Magill says that clouds and rain are in the forecast on the night of July 11 and the morning of July 12, when the aurora borealis would have the best chance of being visible from Ohio.
Experts say you need clear and dark skies to see the aurora. If the skies were clearer, it is suggested that those looking to view the Northern Lights get away from city lights for the optimal viewing experience.
According to NASA, solar storms happen when the sun sends out big bursts of energy called solar flares and coronal mass ejections. Think of it as the sun having fireworks in space.
As for the Northern Lights, these happen when charged particles, such as electrons and protons, collide with the gases in Earth's upper atmosphere. The collisions then create flashes of light that come together, creating the auroras we see dancing across the skies.
You can track the aurora forecast on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center here.
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