Will we be able to see the northern lights in the Lower Hudson Valley Wednesday, April 16?
The United States will have a chance to take in the northern lights, or aurora borealis, Wednesday night, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center, USA TODAY reported.
But will the weather in the Lower Hudson Valley get in the way? Read on for the latest forecast.
Lower Hudson Valley weather forecast for April 16
Wednesday got off to a brisk and cloudy start, with high temperatures near 49 degrees in Westchester and Rockland, and 46 degrees in Putnam, according to a National Weather Service forecast. A west wind is bringing strong breezes of 16 to 18 mph to the area, with potential for wind gusts as strong as 38 mph.
Wednesday night, mostly-cloudy conditions continue, but there’s a chance to spot the aurora as skies gradually become clear. If headed outside, bundle up, low temperatures will be in the low to mid-30s. A northwest wind will blow breezes of 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Read more: Will aurora borealis fill the Lower Hudson Valley’s skies this spring? What we learned
What causes the northern lights?
The aurora borealis is caused by solar eruptions, thanks to a level 3 geomagnetic storm, that sent charged particles towards Earth’s magnetic pull. According to Accuweather, such a storm could also disrupt radio waves and some satellite operations, in addition to the creation of the northern lights.
The lights are expected to be visible in areas as far south as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa, Wyoming and Oregon.
What gives an aurora its colors?
An aurora gets its colors from the interaction of solar particles “with oxygen and nitrogen in different parts of the Earth’s atmosphere,” Accuweather said. “For many onlookers under a cloud-free sky, the Aurora Borealis will appear as a faint green or red glow in the northern sky.”
Green and red auroras are the most common, and are caused by the interaction of particles with oxygen, while blue and purple lights are caused by an interaction with nitrogen.
“It’s important to note that any images circulating on social media showing yellow or white auroras were likely generated using AI,” Accuweather said.
Send us your northern lights photos!
Send us your photos for the chance to be featured in our gallery highlighting local views of the Aurora Borealis. Westchester, Rockland and Putnam readers can submit online via bit.ly/lohudthroughyoureyes.
Contributing: USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Northern lights: Will NY see aurora borealis April 16? See forecast
