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South Dakota Events

The Northern Lights May Be Visible Over South Dakota This Week Due To A Solar Storm

By Annie | Published December 10, 2020

If you have ever had the opportunity to see the Northern Lights, you know that they are a sight to see, thanks to their incredible colors that light up the nighttime sky in ways you have never seen. Do you want to see them for yourself? Then be sure to look up at the sky Thursday and Friday night, as you may be able to see them right here in South Dakota.

Also known as Polar Lights or the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights are typically only seen in Arctic regions like Alaska and Iceland, but keep your eyes peeled tonight and tomorrow, as they may be shining brightly over the Mount Rushmore State!

According to the Space Weather Prediction Center - an entity of the NOAA and National Weather Service - December 9th through the 11th, 2020, brings a great chance of the lower 48 states seeing the Northern Lights, thanks to a geomagnetic storm caused by both a massive G3 solar storm and increased magnetic activity.

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Thanks to the magnetic activity and solar winds, the Northern Lights can be made up of several different colors, including red, violet, blue, pink, and white.

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The best place in South Dakota to see the Northern Lights is in areas with less light pollution, meaning the further away from larger cities and communities, the better.

While the lights may be visible Thursday and Friday, peak viewing is predicted to be on Friday night, so be sure to peer to the north after sunset.

To learn more about this rare South Dakota phenomenon and other upcoming weather occurrences, please visit AccuWeather's website.

Who will you be watching the Northern Lights with? Let them know in the comments! For even more to do this weekend, check out Kris Kringle’s Christmas Market In South Dakota Will Make Spirits Bright This Christmas.

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