Rare Northern Lights could glow in Idaho and Washington this week. Here’s how to see

IDAHO FALLS (Idaho Statesman) – The Northern Lights might be visible across the U.S. this week and could light up the skies in much of the Northwest.

A solar flare burst could be so powerful that it offers a rare chance to see the Northern Lights, according to AccuWeather.

The flare is part of a geometric storm from the sun that was created by a coronal mass ejection (CME), which is an eruption of magnetic energy, according to The Washington Post.

When the flares are intense enough, they can make the Northern Lights visible in places where the dancing green colors of the aurora are rarely seen, according to AccuWeather.

Experts predict that the storm will pass between Dec. 9-11. Thursday night is expected to have the greatest levels of activity, and the best chance to see the aurora, Forbes reported.

The Space Weather Prediction Center, however, isn’t sure how intense the storm will be. It could be possible that the storm doesn’t generate the aurora like stargazers would hope.

“While SWPC forecasters are fairly confident in CME arrival at Earth, timing and geomagnetic storm intensity are less certain,” the center said Tuesday.

The sky also needs to cooperate. The Northern Lights could be visible with a clear and cloudless sky, but with light pollution and cloudy conditions, they could be hard to see.

“As meteorologist Sara Housseal mentions, you’ll want to get away from city lights, be able to see low down to the horizon towards the north, and of course, good weather,” the Space Weather Watch said in a tweet. “Clear skies everyone!”