PORTLAND, Ore. — Some people in the Northwest were treated to a colorful show in the sky Monday night. The Northern Lights were spotted over parts of Oregon and Washington state.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center issued a geomagnetic storm warning Monday night, as solar debris was expected to collide with the Earth's magnetosphere through early Tuesday morning. It was the latest of several geomagnetic storm warnings issued recently.
KGW viewers from Dayton to Jordan Valley in eastern Oregon shared photos of the dazzling aurora borealis. There were also reported sightings in parts of Washington state, including Yelm and Poulsbo.
The aurora borealis is caused by the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and particles from the sun that enter the Earth's atmosphere at its magnetic poles. The lights can appear to glow and can appear pink, blue, green, yellow and purple. The sun's magnetic field is at the peak of its 11-year cycle, which makes solar storms and Northern Lights visible more regularly.
Didn't catch the lights display? It's likely this won't be the last chance to view the Northern Lights as the sun progresses through its solar cycle.
