Aurora Borealis Sightings in Wenatchee Valley Region
Those looking up at the sky on Monday night could steal a glimpse at some northern lights in the Chelan-Douglas County region.
Several residents spotted a solar flare phenomena known as an "aurora borealis," which is when the earth’s magnetic fields reflect solar particles towards the north and south poles, reflecting ultraviolet spectrums of light near the north pole, which is why they are commonly dubbed the “northern lights.”
National Weather Service Meteorologist Charlotte Dewey said that increasing solar activity is contributing to an increase in northern light sightings further south of the polar ring, but whether we will see more sightings in the future is harder to predict.
“We have to have higher solar activity going on and we have to pair that with clear skies for viewing, so it's kind of hard to predict that out in the future,” Dewey said. “But we are seeing more activity in space weather, so we do have better chances of seeing them going forward.”
You can check whether an aurora borealis sighting will be available near you at this link.