Meteorologists said cloud cover will make it "very difficult" to see the Northern Lights in Virginia Saturday night.
The stunning display was poised to be visible in the northern part of the United States and Europe just in time for Halloween.
On Thursday, the sun launched what is called an “X-class solar flare.” The energy from the flare is trailed by a cluster of solar plasma and other material called a coronal mass ejection. That's headed toward Earth.
It could create a strong geomagnetic storm that can produce a light show called the aurora borealis or Northern Lights. And it would allow the display to be seen at a much lower latitude.
"The green shading north of us shows areas that have a better chance of seeing the aurora while the dark green line shows how far south the 'Northern Lights' may make it especially when viewing low on the horizon," National Weather Service officials in Blacksburg wrote Friday afternoon.
However, weather service officials in Wakefield clarified Saturday afternoon that "widespread clouds will make it very difficult to see" in Virginia.
