It could be a colorful night sky for millions of people in the northern U.S. as the aurora borealis, or northern lights, could make an appearance in several states.
The possibility of seeing the dazzling display comes after the sun had a solar flare erupt on Friday that was directed toward Earth, according to the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. As a result, 18 states will have the chance to see the the aurora borealis, stretching from Washington to Maine, and as far south as Nebraska, the Space Weather Prediction Center says, as long as weather conditions permit.
“All in all, you can anticipate good conditions for auroral displays,” EarthSky said.
ALASKA: Glowing spiral resembling a portal to a new galaxy dazzles in the Alaskan night sky
FEBRUARY: Aurora borealis made a rare appearance in Colorado, setting skies ablaze
Geomagnetic storm watch
The Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm watch into Sunday night, with a chance of a G3 (strong) developing later in the night.
The center has a five-level geomagnetic storm scale, with G1 storms registering as minor and G5s considered extreme. A G2 storm typically happens 360 days every 11 years, the center says.
Where will the northern lights appear?
The northern lights will be possible to see in 18 states, depending on weather conditions like cloud coverage.
“The enhanced geomagnetic activity may offer a glimpse of the Northern Lights for those in the United States with most favorable cloud conditions over the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Great Plains and less favorable conditions in the Northeast and Northwest,” the Space Weather Prediction Center said.
Here’s the states where it’ll be possible to see the northern lights Sunday night:
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Washington
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Idaho
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Montana
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Wyoming
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North Dakota
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South Dakota
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Nebraska
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Minnesota
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Iowa
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Wisconsin
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Illinois
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Indiana
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Michigan
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Pennsylvania
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New York
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Vermont
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New Hampshire
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Maine
What time will the northern lights appear?
The NOAA says the best time to see the northern lights is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time. At that time, officials advise people to get away from city lights to see the the aurora borealis.
Recent northern light displays
The possibility of seeing the northern lights in several states comes a month after they shined in the night sky in the northern U.S., with people in several states capturing pictures of the display.
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Northern lights could be seen in 18 US states Sunday. Here’s where.
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