Northern lights may be visible tonight around Alberta

The northern lights could be visible across Alberta tonight, including in northwest Alberta. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center is forecasting a G3 geomagnetic storm on July 29. Those storms are rated from a G1 (minor) to a G5 (extreme). 

The Kp Index, a factor used in determining the intensity of the lights, is seven on a scale of zero to nine. 

The agency says the lights can be “quite bright and active” at that level. 

According to the forecast, the northern lights could be visible from anywhere in Albera, and NOAA says the best time to view them is usually between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time

“The aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as much as 1,000 km away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right,” NOAA said. 

Clear skies are needed to view the aurora, and the forecast for the area calls for a mainly cloudy night, but the lights might be visible during breaks in the clouds.