According to the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a fascinating natural phenomenon is on its way—and Vancouverites could stand to reap the benefits.

This is not your typical storm that requires you to secure your patio furniture and stock up on supplies. It’s a geomagnetic storm: a result of interactions between the Earth’s magnetic field and solar wind.

On its site, NOAA explains that “several strong flares have been observed over the past few days and were associated with a large and magnetically complex sunspot cluster, which is 16 times the diameter of Earth.”

So what exactly does that mean for us, um, non-scientists?

According to experts, it means that with clear skies, there is a chance that cities across the United States and Canada may see the Northern Lights on the horizon this weekend. Keep an eye on Aurora Forecast for details about the Lower Mainland’s chances for getting a visit from the elusive Aurora Borealis.