Weather It Matters: Will Northern Lights sparkle in Michiana skies again soon?

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- Hailey Atkinson always dreamed of having a complete celestial catalog, but growing up in Arkansas, getting a glimpse of the aurora appeared impossible. She moved to Michiana with her fiancé two years ago. Last May, her dreams morphed into reality, along with the night sky in Berrien County.

"I looked forward, and boom, the color was instantly coming out. I ain't gonna lie, I did tear up a little bit because it's something that a lot of people don't get to see," Atkinson recalled.

Last October, Atkinson embarked on another aurora-chasing adventure, but this time she took her fiancé, too.

"I had to drag him along at first," Atkinson admitted. "I got him up there. and he was like, 'this is so cool!' especially once the colors start really getting vibrant."

Vince Ledvina has been noticing the northern lights since he was four years old. Now, he’s an authority on all things aurora, often viewing the phenomenon right outside his door in Alaska.

Ledvina says last October’s aurora event was especially memorable -- partially because the moon wasn’t in the way.

"I think a lot of people remember the really intense reds," Ledvina said. "Those were just more visible because you didn't have the moonlight, kind of washing them away."

That event also sticks out because of how well it was forecast. Even in strong solar storms, the uncertainty in forecasting space weather can be off the charts.

"We can see all the material coming off the sun, but then after that, we have no idea what's happening, because we just don't have any spacecraft in between," Ledvina explained.

When the aurora does arrive, it’s a welcome sight for stargazers...but the northern lights are also a sign that the earth is working to protect itself from the sun,   and the lights in the sky can impact the lights down below.

"A really powerful aurora going on in Earth's atmosphere corresponds with a really strong current, and that can create issues and build up voltage, which can then overload transformers," Ledvina said.

The aurora can also alter GPS signals...especially for farmers who need precise measurements on where to plant.

Last May, while most of the country was captivated with views of pink and green, the agriculture community was crippled.

"It's estimated that the economic impact just from not being able to plant that one night was over $600 million for the farmers in the us," Ledvina recalled.

An analysis by a professor at Kansas State University found that while not all farms were affected, those that were lost an average of $17,000.

While last year’s events frustrated farmers, this year has been far more frustrating for photographers.
The northern lights have been visible as recently as the end of September -- but many are still waiting for a spectacular display on par with last year. Based on where we are in the solar cycle, Ledvina says bigger aurora sightings could be on the way.


"I like to think of it as the sun has a high season and a low season, and we're still in the high season of activity," Ledvina explained. "So, the sun is still really active."