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The Northern Lights in the Bay Area?

A massive solar eruption means a rare chance to see the aurora borealis
By - posted 12/26/2015 No Comment

So you’re saying there’s a “chance…”

Due to a massive solar eruption about to hit earth, you might notice power fluctuations, radio blackouts and even GPS might be affected.

But more importantly, there’s a small chance that it could make the Northern Lights visible in the Bay Area in the final days of December.

Forget fireworks for New Year’s… how about the aurora borealis!

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the aurora borealis will dip down to at least Oregon and that there’s a small chance that it might be visible from the Bay Area either from the ground or from a plane.

Originally the Northern Lights were supposed to be visible only the early morning of December 30, 2015, but now scientists say that the strong G3 solar storm will hit later than expected, perhaps continuing through January 1st.

NBC says there’s a “chance” you can see it Thursday night.” In the Bay Area the skies should be clear giving stargazers who stay up late the best shot of seeing the Northern Lights. But you’ll have to get far away from city lights... there’s unfortunately no way to see it in the city out your window.

“It’s certainly possible,” Terry Onsager, a physicist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told SFGATE. “It depends entirely on the strength of the storm. If it turns out to be stronger than that, it could be seen.”

Read more on ABC, SFGate, NBC and AuroraNotify.com

HEADS UP: A massive solar eruption that’s going to hit Earth just before New Year’s Eve is expected to cause power…

Posted by ABC7 News on Tuesday, December 29, 2015