Northern Lights: A great opportunity is brewing this evening

A sky show can end the weekend in style. A geomagnetic storm is approaching Earth and is expected to cause strong aurora borealis overnight Sunday into Monday. With a Kp index of 5.67 at its strongest, the light event appears even further south than usual.

Good to know: The Kp index is an indicator of geomagnetic activity and ranges from 0 to 9. It is used to determine the probability of observing auroras in a number of specific areas.

Almost all of Quebec will be in the visibility zone, except the south. But it’s particularly the western and central regions that have the most beautiful viewing conditions. Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Outauais and Mauricie will have a clear night, while other areas should have a dense screen of clouds.

Good conditions

Generally, the auroras are best seen between September and April, when the nights are long, dark, but cool! In early May, it must be a little nicer to be outside looking at the sky. Temperatures will be slightly above normal, with 4 degrees in Val d’or and 11 degrees in Gatineau.

And the good news: Peaks should be reached between 11pm and 2am when it’s dark. The moon will also be discreet, as it will soon enter its first phase (new moon), during which it will completely disappear from the night sky.

Better to go to open areas away from any light pollution to improve your chances of seeing the phenomenon in all its glory. As with any care, patience is required because even if the prognosis is favorable, they remain unpredictable.

In collaboration with meteorologist Alexandra Giroux.

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