Northern Lights may be visible across northern U.S. Saturday

ROANOKE, Va. – Remember a few years ago when the northern lights could be seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway? I wish I could say that will be the case this time around, but you can see the International Space Station fly over Friday night. 

Come Saturday, parts of the northern U.S. might be able to see the aurora borealis. This is thanks to what's called a geomagnetic storm. 

According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, this storm is rated a G2, which is considered moderate strength.

A solar flare sent out a wave of charged particles, known as a coronal mass ejection. This wave meets up with the earth's magnetic field, which sets off the aurora.

Areas north of the yellow line on the map above stand the better chance of seeing the aurora, but that forecast can change. 

It is unlikely, due to the moderate strength of the storm, that that line shifts far south enough for us to see this weekend.