Any chance of Aurora in southern Norway in two weeks?

[Joost Groen]

On March 3rd I will go to Norway for a week of cross-country skiing. We will stay close to Lillehammer (about 50 km Northwest of L. in fact). I'm curious as to whether we have (or not) a high probability of being lucky in observing Aurora.

Could any of you knowledgeables please let me know about the probability of observing Aurora there and then? I'm an absolute zero when it comes to meteorology and atmospheric phenomena such as Aurora so please don't flame me for such a simple question...

Thanks for your help and take care,
Joost, The Netherlands
jsg@xs4all.nl

[Ulrich Rieth]

Hi Joost!

In the first week of March we can expect a new round of auroral storming at least over Scandinavia.
The origin is a special region on the sun, that send solar wind gusts to earth. The region produced a good storm during its last appearance on the visible disc and it should return just in early March, because of the suns 27 days periode of rotation.
So you are just there, when this storm may unfold.
If the weather permits (clear skies), you should be able to see the lights.
A better prediction will be available at the end of February.
So come back some days before you go to Norway and ask again.
Have a good tour and lots of northern lights up there.
Regards

Ulrich

[Joost Groen]

Thanks Ulrich! Sounds phenomenal! People at the Dutch Royal Meteorology Institute have already told me that that period of the year is generally very clear in Norway... so we might be in luck. I'll drop in ten days from now or so...

Cheers,
Joost