Washington Could See Northern Lights Overnight

SEATTLE, WA — The Northern Lights could be visible in Washington late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, thanks in part to clear skies in the forecast. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center announced a 24-hour magnetic storm watch will begin at 4 p.m.

The Aurora Borealis is caused by charged particles from solar winds colliding with the Earth's upper atmosphere. Auroras are often visible near the planet's north and south poles, but stronger magnetic storms can carry them much further.

Predicted events are assigned a Kp rating between 0 and 9, indicating their estimated strength. NOAA projects this event will reach a maximum Kp of 5 from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday morning.

Read NOAA's aurora viewing tips.

Follow along on the Space Weather Prediction Center homepage as conditions change.

In Seattle, the lights could be visible low on the horizon, but typically a storm needs to be a little stronger, due to light pollution and the city's magnetic latitude. Smaller cities and rural areas have the best shot at seeing activity.