Look North! Northern Lights Could Light Up New York Skies

New Yorkers, get ready for a sky show that’s out of this world — literally.

Scientists are forecasting a strong geomagnetic storm, rated G3 or higher, for Thursday and Friday, November 6 and 7. The source? A double dose of solar activity: a high-speed solar wind stream from a coronal hole and the arrival of a coronal mass ejection, or CME, hitting Earth.

What does this mean for folks in New York? If the skies are clear after dark on Thursday, you might be lucky enough to catch the northern lights dancing above.

Usually, the aurora borealis sticks closer to Alaska or northern Minnesota. Still, this storm is powerful enough that it could make it visible across the state — from the Adirondacks to the Finger Lakes, and maybe even down to parts of the Hudson Valley.

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What Makes Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights are caused by the interaction between the sun’s solar winds and the Earth’s magnetic field.

READ MORE: NY Photographer Captures Northern Lights in Dazzling Time-Lapse Video

The best time to see the lights is usually within an hour or two of midnight. So, sometime between 10 PM and 2 AM.

The Space Weather Prediction Center suggests finding a dark place away from city lights to see the prism of floating color.

When to See the Lights

Charles Deehr, a professor emeritus and aurora forecaster at the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute, says you'll need a little patience if you want to see the Aurora Borealis.

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If the activity is high, the lights can last about half an hour and occur every two hours.

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Latest Northern Lights Forecast

Meteorologists say the chances are good, and with the storm forecasted to be unusually strong, it’s a rare opportunity for New Yorkers to see the sky light up in green, pink, and purple.

So clear your schedule after dark Thursday night, and maybe even grab your camera — this could be one of the most memorable skywatching events of the year right here in New York.