Better Chance of Northern Lights, Green Glow Above Oregon Coast Than Portland

Published 03/17/2015

(Oregon Coast) – Weather doesn't look like it will cooperate for Portland and inland Oregon nighttime skies as much as it will the Oregon coast for what has been a wild and very Irish-themed aurora borealis. If it happens again tonight – and scientists deem this a slight chance – the coast will have clearer skies than much of the rest of the state.

In the wee hours of the St. Patty's Day holiday – Tuesday – a green glow lit up skies in numerous states. One amazing photograph was taken in North Plains, between Portland and the Oregon coast range.

According to Jim Todd of Portland's OMSI, chances still exist this could show up tonight. He called a a slight chance, but noted the weather forecast does not look good for Portland tonight.

“Oregon is located in the middle latitude for space weather forecasts,” Todd said. “The good news is the moon is near new phase (March 20) which allows for darker night sky to view the faint auroras.”

The current activity comes from what space scientists called a “severe magnetic storm” that reached a very strong Kp=8, one of the highest designations of space storm activity.

Theses storms may stick around and continue to cause northern lights for a couple days, but that's hard to say. Todd said it is impossible to predict how long the effects will linger.

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