The Northern Lights may be seen in the northern regions of the United States on New Year’s Eve

NEW YORK — There’s a chance solar storms may bring northern lights to several northern U.S states just in time for the new year.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has reported that the sun has released two bursts of plasma heading towards Earth this week.

These bursts are expected to create colorful auroras visible in various states, including Alaska, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, and others.

The best time to witness this natural light show is predicted to be during the early morning hours of Tuesday when it’s still dark, according to NOAA forecaster Shawn Dahl.

Updated forecasts may be available as the event draws closer on NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center website or an aurora forecasting app.

To spy the spectacle, wait for clear skies to get dark and then go outside, ideally away from bright city lights. Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren’t visible to the naked eye.

The sun is at the maximum phase of its 11-year cycle, making solar surges and northern lights more frequent.

The active period is expected to last for at least another year, though scientists won’t know when solar activity peaked until months after the fact.

NOAA is monitoring this week’s solar storms for possible minor disruptions to high-frequency radio communications, which are used by airlines and amateur radio operators.

In May, NOAA issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning – it was the strongest storm in more than two decades, producing light displays across the Northern Hemisphere. And in October, a powerful solar storm dazzled skygazers far from the Arctic Circle when auroras appeared in unexpected places, including Germany, the United Kingdom, New England and New York City.