Aurora lovers, there is a high possibility to see strong aurora light across Canada this weekend, thanks to a unique phenomenon known as “equinox cracks” and the effects of an immense coronal hole.
The northern light is expected to be visible in Metro Vancouver if the skies are clear on Saturday and Sunday night.
The March equinox is coming up next Tuesday, which is often associated with intensive geomagnetic activity. Equinox cracks happen during weeks around equinoxes. They are cracks which are opening in Earth’s magnetic field, which allows gentle gusts of solar wind to ignite intense Arctic lights, according to Spaceweather.
Kp = 7 is for a G3 (strong) storm and Kp = 9 is for a G5 (extreme) storm. Luckily Metro Vancouver fell into the region in between Kp values of 7 and 9 and as a result we are highly likely to see northern lights in town.
Additionally, the Earth is encountering “Coronal Hole High Speed Stream, and the Co-rotating Interaction Region (CIR) that precedes it, both of which may cause even bigger auroral displays,” meteorologist Scott Sutherland wrote on The Weather Network.
The aurora lights are best visible in areas with no light pollution. If you have time, you could drive up to Whistler or Squamish over the weekend. If you do not want to travel too far, here are some recommended locations close to Richmond to enjoy the spectacular event:
— Iona Beach Regional Park in Richmond
— Garry Point Park
— Steveston waterfront
— Empty farmlands near Tsawwassen
