Friday’s Northern Lights may be visible again tonight in Colorado and rain is expected throughout the week in the Denver Metro area, according to the National Weather Service.
The Northern Lights may be visible again throughout Colorado on Sunday night if another coronal mass ejection—a burst of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun—occurs as expected this evening, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration official Shawn Dahl.
The NOAA issued a severe G4 geomagnetic storm watch for the first time since 2005 on Thursday. The geomagnetic storm heightened the aurora borealis, creating a light show visible throughout much of the world in a rare global phenomenon on Friday. Although geomagnetic activity has slowed, the G4 watch remains in effect on Sunday.
“Space weather conditions at the spacecraft that we monitored for them have settled down considerably, but space is still disturbed and enhanced,” Dahl said. “It won’t take much of anything for activity to spin back up.”
The expected CME is indirect and likely won’t result in another light show on Monday night, according to Dahl. In the meantime, the NOAA recommends that Coloradans watch for CME updates on their website.
Even if the CME occurs, the aurora borealis may be covered by clouds tonight as rain washes over the Denver Metro area Sunday. Showers and thunderstorms are possible through this afternoon with a 70% chance of precipitation and a high of 65 degrees. Rain may continue tonight with a 30% chance of precipitation, mainly before 7 p.m. Tonight will hit a low of 45 degrees and gusts up to 22 mph may clear cloud coverage.
Rainy weather is expected to continue throughout much of the week with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon on Monday and a high of 75 degrees. There is a 10% chance of precipitation before midnight Monday with a low of 48 degrees, according to NWS forecasters.
Showers and thunderstorms may occur after noon again on Tuesday and continue into Tuesday night with a 40% chance of precipitation and a low of 48 degrees.
Rain and thunderstorms may continue for the Denver Metro area throughout the week and into the weekend, according to the NWS.
