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WEATHER

Northern Lights likely to be visible over large parts of Norway this weekend

Large parts of Norway may be treated to the presence of the Northern Lights and the natural phenomenon could be visible as far south as Kristiansand, according to forecasts.

Pictured are the Northern Lights in Norway.
Those in Norway could be treated to the presence of the Northern Lights this weekend. Pictured are the Northern Lights in Norway. Photo by David Becker on Unsplash

Residents in southern Norway could have a chance to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights this weekend, forecasters have said.

The KP index will be between five and six this weekend, according to several forecasting sites. The northern parts of the Earth are divided into KP zones. The zones range from one to nine. For example, Tromsø, in the north, is in KP1 and Oslo in the southeast is in KP4.

The stronger the geomagnetic activity, the higher the KP number, and the further south the lights can be seen. KP5 and above is considered a geomagnetic storm.

A KP index of six means that there is a good chance that the lights will be visible even further south than Oslo.

However, a KP Index isn’t the only factor that determine whether you get to set your sights on the elusive lights. Instead, you will need some help from the weather forecast. Cloud coverage and light pollution hinder chances of seeing the lights.

Meteorologist Eldbjørg Moxnes told public broadcaster NRK that Saturday and the early hours of Sunday may be the best day to try and spot the Northern Lights.

“The best opportunities will probably be in the north as it looks now. It is a bit unfortunate that it will be cloudy until Saturday night in the south. A front is coming in from the west,” she said NRK.

During the early hours of Sunday morning, the clouds will break giving residents in Telemark and Buskerud a chance to see the lights.

Although, for those dismayed by the potential cloud coverage Moxnes did have some reassuring words.

“The cloud cover forecast is relatively uncertain several days ahead. Hope is probably not completely lost, here you just have to keep an eye on it in the short term,” she said.

In the longer term, the Northern Lights could become a more frequent occurrence over the next few years as the sun becomes more active after a few dormant years, according to an earlier NRK report.

READ MORE: How to take the best pictures of the Northern Lights

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WEATHER

Weather warning issued for spring snow in southern Norway

Southern Norway could be hit with 25 centimetres of snow on Thursday, and meteorologists have issued a yellow weather warning and said travel might be disrupted.

Weather warning issued for spring snow in southern Norway

The weather warning takes effect from Thursday morning and covers most of southern Norway, including Oslo.

The warning will be in place until late Thursday evening. A yellow weather warning is the mildest of Norway’s three weather warnings.

During a yellow weather warning, the public is asked to “be aware” of “challenging situations”.

“(The snow) probably comes mostly in the south, where they get the biggest amounts of snow. It can be up to 27 centimetres in some places. In Oslo, it will probably be around 5-10 centimetres,” state meteorologist Julie Solsvik Vågane told Norwegian newswire NTB.

“There will definitely be enough snow to cause quite a few problems. After all, it is April, and people don’t expect snow to the same extent. It will be a wintry day tomorrow,” she added.

Below you can see a post on X (formerly Twitter) of the weather warning. 

Public transport provider Ruter said that the weather was likely to pose problems for public transport and that it had taken preparatory measures ahead of the snow.

“We expect that this could affect public transport, and especially the buses,” Øystein Dahl Johansen from Ruter said.

Network rail operator Bane Nor said it would have extra staff on standby if the weather affects rail travel.

Difficult drivers are expected in western Norway, where the precipitation will arrive in the form of sleet.

From the beginning of next week, the weather in eastern Norway is expected to improve, and temperatures of up to 18 degrees have been forecast.

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