Northern Lights Possible Monday Night Over Puget Sound

SEATTLE — Monday night will not only be the coldest one in months for Puget Sound, but a break in the clouds may arrive just in time to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration extended a moderate geomagnetic storm watch Monday, noting the aurora could be visible as low as Washington, New York and Wisconsin.

The storm, classified as a "G2" on the Space Weather Prediction Center's five-point scale, is the product of a coronal mass ejection from the sun on Saturday.

Despite being only moderate strength, a G2 storm can pack just enough magnitude to make the Northern Lights visible around the Seattle region. Clear skies and a favorable moon phase should provide a better than usual chance to see them.

Light pollution can make the aurora difficult to spot, and the best bet for viewing is to get away from the city to somewhere with a clear view of the northern horizon. As FOX 13's Scott Sistek reports, a camera with a long exposure might have better luck picking up the lights than the naked eye, depending on the storm's strength. The Space Weather Prediction Center has a list of tips for viewing the aurora and updates its dashboards regularly with the latest geomagnetic conditions to check before heading out the door.

Anyone venturing out for a glimpse will want to bundle up, too. Temperatures are forecast to dip into the 30s by early Tuesday, with a handful of communities likely to see their first freeze of the season.