High auroral activity may lead to visible Northern Lights in Vancouver this week

If you didn’t catch the Northern Lights in British Columbia last week, now’s your chance! The skies are clear, and the start of the week will see “high auroral activity,” according to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). So grab your warm layers and get ready to head to a low-light area near Vancouver, ASAP!

High auroral activity

According to the Aurora Forecast by UAF, highly active auroral displays will be visible overhead “from Inuvik, Yellowknife, Rankin and Iqaluit, to Portland OR, Cheyenne, Lincoln, Springfield, and New York City, and visible low on the horizon as far south as Carson City, Oklahoma City, and Raleigh.”

So your chances are looking great for catching that mesmerizing green glow!

Aurora displays will be especially active on Monday, September 16th, though you have a good chance of catching the lights on Tuesday as well – so long as the skies remain relatively clear.

This is echoed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which forecasts that the greatest three-hour Kp index for September 16th to 18th is 6.67 (G3) – which is considered a strong geomagnetic storm. 

On Tuesday night, auroral activity is expected to remain high until 2 am PST/9 UTC. 

Weather forecast

In terms of the weather, Environment Canada forecasts no more than “a few clouds” Monday evening, so the odds are in our favour!

Tuesday, September 17th will bring greater chances of showers in the early afternoon and added cloudiness, though fingers crossed it clears up a bit by nightfall.

Looking for a spot with less light pollution for the ideal view? We suggest heading to Spanish Banks, Locarno, or Stanley Park if you’re in Vancouver, or opt for a spot near Burnaby Mountain or West Vancouver’s Lighthouse Park.

So there you have it, aurora watchers! Get your long-exposure settings ready, because you won’t want to miss this!

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