A photo of the night sky by Jon Lingel, shown at LightBox Photographic Gallery in Astoria.

With a higher likelihood of clear skies during the Nortwest’s El Niño weather pattern this winter, the Oregon and Washington coasts could see many shooting stars during meteor showers over the next few months.

The Geminid meteor shower, often the strongest of the year, peaks Dec. 13 and Dec. 14, according to the American Meteor Society.

With the right conditions, this shower can see as many as 150 meteors trail across the sky each hour. With a peak following the new moon, darker nights could provide better visibility, though clouds and fog can pose a challenge.

The Ursid meteor shower also begins this week. Watch for its peak on Dec. 21 and Dec. 22, coinciding with the winter solstice. Under a gibbous moon this year, the Ursids may be difficult to view.

Looking ahead to the new year, the Quadrantids, another strong meteor shower, have a narrow peak set for the early morning of Jan. 4, 2024.

In the spring, look for the Lyrids meteor shower. With surges that bring as many as 100 shooting stars per hour, this event peaks on April 22 and April 23. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower follows with a peak on May 5 and May 6.