COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Friday night, South Carolina residents got a surprise with the arrival of the northern lights - an occurrence not seen in the far southern states in roughly two decades.
But those who missed out may not be entirely out of luck. The conditions brought on by the geomagnetic storm on Friday night that allowed the auroras at such low latitudes may be favorable again on Saturday night. While it's difficult to predict how far south they'll travel, we can tell you when the skies will likely be clearest.
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Models suggest some initial cloud cover may develop from 11 p.m. to midnight for counties in the northern Midlands. However, those clouds should start breaking up soon after and be clear by 2 a.m. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggests auroras are generally most visible between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., which may leave a little time even for those impacted by cloud cover.
If the clouds do impact viewing, South Carolina residents still might not be out of luck. NOAA reports that, if weather permits, a large portion of the United States might get yet another chance to see the aerial light show on Sunday night.
