If you missed the dazzling northern lights display that graced BC skies last fall, you might get another chance to see them tonight in Vancouver.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association says a moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm is expected to reach the earth sometime tonight and is one of the necessary ingredients for the northern lights due to how the storm interacts with the earth’s magnetic field.
The storm is expected to transition into a minor (G1) one on Thursday, extending the chances of the lights appearing, but the weather will also need to cooperate.
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The University of Alaska Fairbanks has a handy tool that can tell you the likelihood of seeing the lights from wherever you are. While your best shot at seeing them is on Wednesday night, there may be a chance of seeing them on Thursday night (to a lesser degree).
University of Alaska Fairbanks
The green ring indicates the path of the northern lights, and currently the chances of a display in Vancouver are high. For the evening of February 2 from about 9 pm to midnight, activity is being rated at a Kp value of greater than 4 which is considered high. To put that into context, the Kp was around 7 last fall when the lights appeared.
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Based on the trajectory, Vancouver is listed as one of the regions where the northern lights will be visible, but this likely extends to other parts of the province as well.
Unfortunately, in typical Vancouver fashion, the weather forecast doesn’t look entirely promising. Based on how unpredictable the weather tends to be, there’s still a chance.
Clouds don’t completely nullify the northern lights in all cases, but they do hinder the clarity at which the lights can be viewed. If the display is strong enough, they can be seen through the clouds on occasion. Based on the University of Alaska forecast, there is a possibility of this being the case.
Environment Canada
Visit the University of Alaska Fairbanks Aurora Forecast page to keep track of the latest updates.