By David Opinko

NATURE

Northern Lights to flare up Friday night

May 10, 2024 | 11:50 AM

In what could be a fun Friday night activity, Albertans will have the chance to see the Northern Lights.

The Weather Network (TWN) says widespread auroras are possible across most of Canada and much of the U.S. Friday night, May 10, 2024. Forecasters are expecting a potential geomagnetic storm to kick off the weekend.

“This event ranks as a ‘severe’ G4 on the scale used to measure the intensity of geomagnetic storms. The scale ranges from from G1 (minor) on the low end to G5 (extreme) on the high end,” reads an advisory from TWN.

In Alberta, they say the best times to view the aurora will be between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.

While some parts of eastern and northern Canada are expecting more cloud cover, most of Alberta should be in the clear.

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According to TWN, “The best opportunity for clear skies exists on the western Prairies and into British Columbia. Folks around Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Calgary may catch a good show if this geomagnetic storm lives up to its full potential.”

AuroraForecast.com rates Friday’s forecast as a nine-out-of-10, or an “elevated aurora”. That means there will be the possibility of an active aurora. That increases to a full 10, or an “intense aurora” the following day.

For the best chance to view the Northern Lights, observers recommend getting out of the city and into areas with less light pollution.