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When will the northern lights be visible again? NOAA's tool outage makes forecasting harder
NOAA told users to rely on its three-day forecast and 30-minute model, which are updated twice daily, while the viewer remains unavailable.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed on April 3 that The Aurora Timeline Viewer Product is unavailable due to an outage. NOAA stated, "The Aurora Timeline Viewer Product will be unavailable until further notice."
- NOAA uses the planetary K index, or Kp, to measure geomagnetic activity. Energetic solar winds collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere to release light, with higher Kp values indicating brighter, more widespread auroras.
- The Space Weather Prediction Center directed users to the three-day forecast, updated twice daily. Other tools like the 30-minute forecast model can also be used by those seeking northern light visibility.
- NOAA provided instructions on using three-day forecast data to determine visibility. "By matching the forecast Kp value in that product with the auroral southern perimeter generalization noted here, you can ascertain an idea of just how far south the aurora might be noted," NOAA said.
- Geomagnetic activity levels range from 0 to 9 on the Kp scale. While lower levels keep auroras far north, higher Kp values expand visibility across the United States, potentially reaching the northern edge.
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16 Articles
16 Articles
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources16
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center14Last UpdatedBias Distribution87% Center
Bias Distribution
- 87% of the sources are Center
87% Center
13%
C 87%
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