This browser does not support the Video element.
Northern Lights spotted across DC, Maryland, Virginia
Viewers sent FOX 5 some amazing photos of the Northern Lights in Ocean City, Maryland, Lewes, Delaware, Shenandoah, Virginia, and other corners across the DMV.
WASHINGTON - Residents in the D.C. area reported seeing Northern Lights Thursday night thanks to a "severe" geomagnetic storm.
What we know
A coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun will reach Earth's atmosphere on Thursday, creating a geomagnetic storm – which fuels the aurora.
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration forecasts the storm will reach a G-4 rating – or become a "severe" geomagnetic storm. The highest rating on the geomagnetic scale is G-5.
The Northern Lights are forecast to reach as far south as Northern California through Alabama.
Tips for viewing the Northern Lights
The NOAA recommends the following tips for the best chance to see the Northern Lights.
- Go north.
- Go to areas with less light pollution. You can use this map to find the best spots near you.
- Often, the best times to see the aurora are closer to midnight.
- The spring and fall are often the best times to see the aurora, because "the subtleties in the way the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere" can create larger geomagnetic storms.
This browser does not support the Video element.
February 26 2024: Virginia sees rare glimpse of Northern Lights
The aurora borealis was visible from higher elevation in parts of Virginia Thursday night.