Clouds likely to dash Minnesota's hopes for New Year's Eve northern lights
MINNEAPOLIS — A large swath of the far-northern United States may have the opportunity to ring in the new year with some dazzling northern lights, but cloud cover will likely spoil the show for Minnesota and Wisconsin skygazers.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says the sun ejected a pair of plasma bursts late last weekend, called coronal mass ejections (CME), which arrived in Earth's magnetic field on Monday, bringing the potential for colorful auroras. You can watch the storm's activity in real-time on NOAA's website.
Minnesota is among several states in the sweet spot to see a light show on Tuesday night, along with Alaska, Washington, Montana, the Dakotas, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.
Unfortunately, most of Minnesota and Wisconsin will be dealing with widespread cloud cover late Tuesday night, according to WCCO's NEXT Weather Team.
The northeast and southeast corners of the state, along with the Arrowhead, may have less sky cover.
Cloud cover may also ruin the New Year's light show for outdoor revelers in Washington, Illinois and Michigan.
In October, NASA declared that solar maximum has been reached in the current 11-year cycle, making solar surges and northern lights more frequent.
According to NOAA, Solar Cycle 25 has produced a lot more CMEs than predicted. The active period is expected to last for at least another year.
When a CME hits and envelopes the Earth's magnetic field, the collision of its electrically charged particles with our atmosphere can produce dazzling waves of color in the sky.
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is May 14, 2024.
