Northern Lights may be visible Thursday night into early Friday morning

The Northern Lights will be possible on Thursday night, but a couple things need to come together in order to see them.

First, and most importantly, is the Northern Lights actually happening. Second, is clouds clearing in time to see the night sky.

The Space Weather Prediction Center has forecast a higher probability of seeing the aurora Thursday night, which is good news, as a strong solar flare and Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is expected to impact Earth in the October 3-5 period.

As far as the forecast for cloud cover, there is some optimism for Thursday’s clouds to clear out late in the evening. At worst, it may be around or shortly after Midnight. It’s most likely going to take a bit longer for clouds to clear in Iowa than in Minnesota.

It’s going to be a bit chilly as temperatures are expected to be in the 50s before falling into the upper 40s, early in the overnight, so a jacket will come in handy.

For best viewing, get away from city lights, away from as many light sources as possible. Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness. It’s best to stay off your phone and make sure all lights in your vehicle are off. It takes at least 20 minutes for your eyes to properly adjust to the darkness. With that said, one of the best ways to photograph the Northern Lights is with a digital or phone camera that has an extended, night exposure.