Strong solar storm on the way: – Awaiting northern lights over southern Norway

Two days ago, a gas cloud was blown out of the sun in the direction of the earth. When this hits the earth’s magnetic field, a geomagnetic storm has been announced that can give spectacular northern lights as far south as southern and eastern Norway, explains department head Pål Brekke at the Norwegian Space Center to Dagbladet.

– This solar storm carries with it both electrons and protons, and not least magnetic fields from the sun, so when the gas clouds hit the earth’s magnetic field, the whole magnetic field begins to shake. This is what is called a geomagnetic storm, and which causes strong northern lights.

– Extra powerful

In Norway, it is normal in northern Norway and towards Svalbard for the northern lights to dance in the sky almost every night, between September and April.

– But when you get these extra powerful solar storms, which generate even more powerful geomagnetic storms, the northern lights will be able to extend all the way down to southern Norway, and sometimes further down into Europe, Brekke says.

Already on Monday night, it was possible to see the northern lights in Eastern Norway, according to Meteorological Institute, and the phenomenon is actually not as rare in the south as one might think.

– In southern Norway, there are perhaps northern lights around ten times during a season. But the weather may be bad many times, and it is typical that the strong northern lights only last a short time.

Typically, the outbreaks occur in periods that may only last half an hour, says Brekke. It is also crucial when during the day the gas cloud hits the earth’s magnetic field.

– If we are lucky, it happens while it is dark in Norway. But if it happens during the day tomorrow, then it is the United States, Canada, Russia and Japan that have the pleasure of it. It’s hard to say exactly.

Good conditions

But should the northern lights arrive during the evening or night, conditions are good in the south and east, according to meteorologist Ingrid Bentsen at the Meteorological Institute.

– There will be few clouds, and there will be fewer during the evening and night, so I do not think that the cloud cover will be destructive to possibly see the northern lights tonight, she says to Dagbladet.

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However, she will not provide any guarantee.

– It will not be completely cloudless, but there will be cracks in the cloud cover.

In southern Norway, it is especially eastern and southern Norway that has the best chances, and then in low-lying areas. In the mountain areas, building weather is expected, which reduces the chance.

In Western Norway and in Trøndelag, the cloud cover will make it difficult to observe the phenomenon.