Northern Lights maps predict where in Michigan you can see them on Saturday and Sunday

If the clouds cooperate, there is a chance that the Northern Lights will be visible again in the Detroit metropolitan area on Saturday and Sunday evening. The colors of the geomagnetic storm lit up the skies over Michigan on Friday evening, including in the southern part of the state.

While Michigan residents are used to occasional appearances of the Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, in Northern Michigan, the sighting in the Detroit metropolitan area was a real treat. The National Weather Service described Friday’s storm as severe.

And this weekend there could be a repeat.

Northern Lights forecast map

NWS maps predicting the intensity and location of the Northern Lights for Saturday and Sunday show the aurora will be visible in central to northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

The green oval on the map indicates where the lights will be visible, and the oval turns red where the lights are expected to be more intense. Most of the included areas of Michigan are in the green oval, but some parts of the Upper Peninsula are red.

More: Michigan Dark Sky Parks and Preserves are the best places to see Northern Lights and Stars

The NWS also said that the aurora doesn’t have to be directly over an area to be visible, and that in bright light and the right weather conditions, it can be seen from more than 600 miles away. So even though the aurora won’t be directly over Detroit on either night, it’s entirely possible that it will be visible in the region.

Weather and sky coverage forecast for northern lights viewing in Michigan

Mostly cloudy with showers and isolated thunderstorms are forecast for both Saturday and Sunday. From 8 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday, the NWS predicts 48-58% cloud cover in the Detroit metropolitan area, which could affect visibility of the Northern Lights. Cloud cover will drop to 34% by 5 a.m. The western side of both peninsulas will have a lower percentage of cloud cover during the same periods.

Things will look better in the Detroit metropolitan area on Sunday night, with sky coverage at 31-44% between 8:00 p.m. on Sunday and 2:00 a.m. on Monday.

Best time to see Northern Lights

The best time to see the Northern Lights is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This article originally appeared in the Detroit Free Press: Northern lights map predicts storms for parts of Michigan