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Northern lights may still be visible Sunday in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut. Map shows where to look.

More dazzling images of the northern lights
More dazzling images of the northern lights 00:29

NEW YORK -- The northern lights were visible Friday in upstate New York after an "extreme" geomagnetic storm reached Earth, and experts said there was another chance to see the aurora borealis on Sunday closer to New York City.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a G5 geomagnetic storm was detected for the first time in nearly 20 years, and it was strong enough to make the aurora borealis visible in the Tri-State Area. 

Other parts of the U.S. also saw the northern lights on Friday night, and officials said the show would continue to linger Sunday.

Sunday's northern lights forecast

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CBS New York

You might be able to see the northern lights Sunday from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut if the weather cooperates and the skies clear. The farther north you are, the better. 

Even though clouds started clearing overnight Friday, it stayed overcast around the city. Saturday was brighter during the day, but cloudy again at night, so most of the area missed out on the spectacle

Sunday night looks the same. CBS New York's Vanessa Murdock says it will likely be too bright in New York City to see the show and suggests heading to the suburbs, preferably an open field with a clear view of the horizon. She says Eastern Long Island might be the place to be. 

You don't need to be directly underneath the aurora in order to see it. It can be seen from as far as 600 miles away, NOAA says. Still, you have a better chance of seeing anything from the suburbs or more rural areas, where it'll be much darker.

aurora-forecast.png
CBS New York

According to CBS New York meteorologist Craig Allen, our region needs a Kp index of 7 or greater in order to see the northern lights. Some areas north of New York City have a Kp index of 8 from this storm -- the highest in our area since 2005. 

The geomagnetic storm prompted warnings for possible disruptions to the power grid, communications systems and satellite operations. 

New York City's Office of Emergency Management said it doesn't expect any direct impacts from the geomagnetic storm, but "crews are on alert and are reviewing potential scenarios." 

Northern lights seen in Upstate New York

The northern lights were visible in parts of New York on Friday night. 

A purple glow in the sky over Hamburg, New York.
The northern lights were visible in the night sky over Hamburg, New York on May 10, 2024. Alec Forth

A purple-and-green glow could be seen in the sky over Hamburg in Erie County.

A purple glow in the sky over Hamburg, New York.
The northern lights were visible in the night sky over Hamburg, New York on May 10, 2024. Alec Forth

Click here to see more photos of the northern lights from around the U.S. 

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