The upper atmosphere above the Earth’s poles is strongly affected by energy from space during magnetic storms, which can disrupt satellites and communication systems. One important property that affects how the atmosphere responds is called “viscosity”—a kind of internal friction that controls how fast winds and temperatures can change. In this study, we used a computer model to simulate major space weather storms and tested what happens when we change the level of viscosity. We found that when viscosity is low, strong winds and heating spread farther from the poles. When viscosity is high, the energy stays trapped near the poles, and the winds are weaker. These changes also cause differences between the northern and southern hemispheres. Our results help explain how energy moves through the upper atmosphere during storms and why different regions respond differently. This research is important for improving the accuracy of satellite drag forecasts and space weather predictions, and will help scientists interpret data from upcoming NASA missions and ground-based observatories.