Nova Scotia could get another glimpse of the northern lights tonight

The geomagnetic storm impacting the Earth's magnetic field allowed for some rare northern lights viewing in areas of Nova Scotia last night.

The Space Weather Prediction Center, which is a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the U.S., is forecasting a similar, if not more active geomagnetic storm for tonight. That may allow for the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, to be visible once again in areas of the province.

Dave Lane, the observatory director at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, said it should be possible to get a faint view of the northern lights close to the horizon in northern areas of the province. Those areas include Cumberland, Colchester, Pictou, Antigonish and Inverness counties.

Lane cautioned that what is seen by the naked eye may not match pictures taken by viewing enthusiasts. That is due to the quality of modern photography equipment, as well as long exposure techniques.

He also warned forecasting northern lights is notoriously fickle and far less accurate than weather forecasts. (Score one for meteorologists!)

Speaking of the weather forecast, conditions look great tonight for watching the northern lights. There will be clear skies, light winds and temperatures will fall into the low teens. Of course, that type of weather is great for all sorts of night-sky viewing.

If you have a northern lights sighting or pictures, please let us know. Find us on twitter @cbcns or @kalinCBC.