The Northern Lights May Be Visible Across Canada This Weekend — Even From Southern Cities
Auroras could get active over Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. 🌌
The northern lights over a city.
City dwellers across Canada, including those in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, could be in for a visual treat during the night this weekend. Vibrant northern lights shows are expected to extend over the whole country, even visible from southern regions, thanks to intense and sustained solar storms over the past few days.
The effects of the heightened sun activity will likely reach Earth on February 17, causing anywhere from a G1 (minor) to a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm, expanding the reach of the northern lights and causing brighter displays.
"During a G1 geomagnetic storm, the auroras tend to be limited to northern regions of eastern Canada, although they're often seen quite clearly from the southern Prairies and southeastern British Columbia," writes The Weather Network.
"For a G2 geomagnetic storm, nearly the entire country has a chance to see them, as the aurora oval pushes down between the green and yellow lines on the map."
Canadians hoping for a glimpse of the dancing lights in the night sky will need as little cloud cover or light pollution as possible. The likelihood of catching the northern lights from downtown, for instance, is slim. But anyone who's able to get a bit distance from urban sprawl and lucks out with clear skies could see some aurora activity.
The most dramatic views are expected to begin on Friday night and could appear and disappear in the blink of an eye.
Give yourself around half an hour away from any bright lights, including your phone screen, to ensure the best chance of catching the show.