Northern Light display in Indiana not happening tonight after change of forecast

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The anticipated solar storm that previously predicted the Northern Lights to be on display tonight has changed and will most likely not happen in Indiana.

According to an updated forecast released by The Space Weather Prediction Center, Indiana's odds to see a colorful display from the aurora borealis late Thursday evening is now low, and experts at SWPC say the hype was overblown. 

Excitement hit the media earlier this week when Indiana was listed as one of the 17 American states that would be getting a chance to glimpse the Northern Lights Thursday evening, thanks to a solar storm forecast. 

The Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, are typically seen in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia. An 11-year solar cycle that started in 2019 is expected to peak in 2024, however, making the lights visible in places further south, and potentially giving Indiana another chance for viewing in the future.  Just three months ago, the lights were visible in Arizona, making it the third severe geomagnetic storm since the latest solar cycle began. 

The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks previously forecasted a colorful display of auroral activity Thursday for Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. 

The reason behind the misguided excitement from last weekend has been tied to a 27 day forecast, but scientists say this is why the SWPC’s three-day forecast is the most reliable tool when predicting the Northern Lights. The SWPC says other forecasts outside of three days should instead be taken as a general guide. 

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