The northern lights in Canada are likely to put on a magical show during this long weekend, and could even be visible in parts of Ontario.
The northern lights are predicted to be visible in some Canadian cities and provinces, thanks to a geomagnetic storm. People across the country can check and see if they should be looking up on June 28 and 29.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a geomagnetic storm watch for June 28, which may "lead to increased geomagnetic activity 28-29 June."
This was issued because of a coronal mass ejection (CME), which the NOAA describes as "an eruption of solar material."
"When a CME arrives at Earth, a geomagnetic storm can result," the website adds. This can then lead to a stunning display of northern lights!
As for where to see the magical display, The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) has an aurora forecast map, which also predicts "high activity" for June 28 and 29. The map for Friday shows aurora activity over much of Canada, including Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, and parts of Ontario.
According to the NOAA's Aurora Dashboard, some of Western Canada has a higher likelihood of getting aurora activity, but some of Ontario also has a decent chance since it's in the view line.
The NOAA's Aurora Dashboard.NOAA
The best time to go and get a glimpse of the lights is just after sunset or right before sunrise. Keep your eye on the horizon because it's not necessarily overhead and the NOAA's website says that it could "be observed from as much as a 1000 km away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right."
Fingers crossed for clear skies!