Alberta hit with heavy smoke right after northern lights spectacle
You might be doing a double take this morning, as much of Alberta, which saw a dazzling northern lights show last night, is now blanketed in heavy wildfire smoke.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center issued a severe (G4) geomagnetic storm watch to kick off the weekend, and it sure pulled through, with gorgeous northern lights seen throughout the province.
Laine Mitchell/Daily Hive
Laine Mitchell/Daily Hive
Mere hours after the northern lights danced across the sky in Alberta, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued special air quality statementsĀ for large swaths of the province due to wildfire smoke from northeastern BC causing poor air quality and visibility.
“Conditions are expected to improve over eastern parts of the province tonight while other regions will see some improvement by Sunday afternoon,” the statement said.
“Over northwestern Alberta, conditions are likely to remain poor through Monday or possibly Tuesday.”
Laine Mitchell/Daily Hive
That didnāt take long. Busting out the air filters already š #YEG pic.twitter.com/iawbhWFbQo
ā Dieter MacPherson šš (@dmacpher) May 11, 2024
Northwesterlies have brought the smoke down from northeastern BC blanking a lot of the northern half of Alberta.
Air quality statements are in effect as the air quality has taken a massive dip overnight, especially in the Grande Prairie area.#yegwx #abstorm pic.twitter.com/rCTfsYzGR3
ā Morgan Laidler (@MorganLaidler) May 11, 2024
Missed the sky candy last night, and missing the blue sky sunrise as well. Why? Wildfire smoke is thick up in parts of northern Alberta and BC this morning, and getting worse by the minute.
Picture taken at Albright, west of Beaverlodge. #ABStorm #ABFire #BCStorm #BCWildfire pic.twitter.com/MX8jrzXUEM
ā Jeff Adams (@jeffmadams) May 11, 2024
If you missed the lights show, you might have another chance. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Centre says that the extreme geomagnetic storm continues and will persist through at least Sunday.
“Overnight, aurora were visible across much of the United States. Weather permitting, they may be visible again tonight,” it added.
The extreme geomagnetic storm continues and will persist through at least Sunday… pic.twitter.com/GMDKikl7mA
ā NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) May 11, 2024
Thanks to the smoke, chances to see the northern lights again in some parts of Alberta have been thrown into a tailspin. Edmonton’s forecast shows smoke on Saturday evening.
Environment and Climate Change Canada
The chances are better in Calgary, where the forecast calls for partly cloudy skies early in the evening that will clear later.
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Did you catch the northern lights in Alberta? Let us know in the comments below.