Summer aurora on lake

This is a file photo meant to show what the Northern Lights look like on a great night in the right spot under perfect conditions. If – IF – the Northern Lights are visible in Colorado during this geomagnetic storm, don't expect the same vibrance. Photo Credit: mericsso (iStock).

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a 'G3' strength geomagnetic storm may take place on August 18 due to a "recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream" connecting with earth and resulting in an "elevated and disturbed solar wind field." That's some pretty technical talk, but in short, it means that the Aurora Borealis, also known as the 'Northern Lights,' might be visible to some Coloradans or visible within a short drive across the state's northern border – key word there is 'might.'

According to TheAuroraZone.com, a G3 geomagnetic storm can result in a Kp-7 rating on the Planetary K-index, which is basically an index used to measure disturbances in Earth's magnetic field, serving as a good indicator of where the Aurora Borealis might be seen. When a disturbance level of Kp-7 is reached, the Aurora Borealis is seen at lower latitudes – in the US, that latitude line stretches roughly from Denver to Nashville.

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Before you get too excited or set-up travel plans, remember that a lot of other factors impact whether or not this stunning natural phenomenon will actually be visible in Colorado or close to it.

First, the geomagnetic storm might not hit as hard as it's expected to hit, which would limit how far south its impacts could be seen. Second, time of day can impact visibility – sunlight blocks out the effect. Same goes for cloud cover.

In other words, it will probably be a bit of a toss up when it comes to whether or not the Aurora Borealis will be seen in Colorado, with visibility subject to change up until the moment it's spotted.

One great place to see updates on the Planetary K-index rating is right on the NOAA website. Their website features a chart that indicates the magnitude of geomagnetic storms. The higher that number gets – specifically if it hits the Kp-7 rating on a clear night – the better the chance of spotting the effects of the storm in Colorado will be.

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Moving to a darker, more northern spot will likely increase chances of spotting the phenomenon, with some Coloradans likely to travel north of the border to see the show. Either way, the state of Colorado will be right on the edge of the expected visibility range – so don't be disappointed if the effect is minimally visible or not seen at all.

Late Wednesday night (August 17) into the early morning hours of Thursday (August 18) will likely be when Coloradans have the best chance of spotting the Northern Lights, with the G3 strength-rating taking place on August 18 and clear skies in the forecast tonight across most of northern Colorado. There could also be another chance later on Thursday, but the storm is expected to downgrade to G2 strength by Friday, August 19.

Aside from producing the celestial event, little to no impact is otherwise expected from this geomagnetic storm.

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