Metro Vancouverites might see the northern lights dance low on the horizon tonight.
While the Vancouver weather forecast for Wednesday, May 29 includes some dreary conditions, the evening looks dry with only some cloud coverage.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center expects minor to moderate solar flare activity on Wednesday through Friday, contributing to stormy space conditions.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) characterizes the auroral activity as "active," with its green and purple hues spanning "overhead from Inuvik, Yellowknife, Rankin and Iqaluit to Juneau, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Sept-Iles, and visible low on the horizon from Vancouver, Great Falls, Pierre, Madison, Lansing, Ottawa, Portland and St. Johns."
The university's online aurora monitor map shows what regions the aurora's glow may be visible overhead and where it may be visible low on the horizon. Additionally, there is a brief description below the map of the aurora activity on that particular day. You can switch to other days to see the forecast, too.
Metro Vancouverites were treated to spellbinding aurora borealis displays
Residents witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime (at least locally) northern lights display in Metro Vancouver on May 10 due to a powerful geomagnetic storm.
While it may be possible to view the lights again this week, the display won't be as vibrant because the lights will be low on the horizon, rather than overhead, and won't look as potent.
Most people observe an arcing, milky manifestation moving in the sky and need a camera with a longer exposure to capture the green hues.
Since the daylight hours have started increasing, there are fewer hours to view the northern lights. However, if the timing lines up, you can view them when the sky is dark enough.
Stay up-to-date with hyperlocal forecasts across 50 neighbourhoods in the Lower Mainland with V.I.A.'s Weatherhood.
