Northern Lights Could Be Seen In Vermont This Week

VERMONT — Vermont residents may want to set aside time for sky-watching this week as the spectacular Northern Lights could be visible across the state, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

On Monday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a notice stating that a geomagnetic storm watch was in effect for March 31. That watch was issued following a dramatic explosion on the sun that produced a coronal mass ejection.

According to the notice, a moderate-strength storm could occur in the early hours of that day or on the night of March 30.

As a result, Thursday night around midnight will likely be the best time for Vermont residents to check for the lights, the climate agency said.

According to the National Weather Service, the Aurora Borealis phenomenon occurs because the sun emits electrically-charged particles called ions, which correspondingly move away from the sun in a stream of plasma, or ionized gas, known as the solar wind.

As the plasma comes in contact with the Earth's magnetic field, some ions become trapped and interact with the Earth's ionosphere roughly 60-80 miles above the surface. This interaction causes the ions to glow, similarly to how a neon sign lights up when electrons pass through inert gases.

As the agency measures the geomagnetic activity level produced from the solar flare, Vermont is between KP=5 and KP=7 levels, which indicates there's a good chance for the state to see the lights.

Here's the bad news: Overcast skies could thwart Thursday's viewing of the lights, according to forecasts. Significant cloud cover is expected much of the day and could continue into Friday, according to weather.com.