All articles tagged with #northern lights
Forecasters say Sunday could bring visible aurora borealis across select northern regions of North America and Europe, weather and dark skies permitting; best viewing occurs under clear, dark skies away from city lights during late-night hours as solar activity drives the display.
The NOAA Space Prediction Center says a visible aurora is possible tonight on Idaho's northern horizon, with the best viewing window from 11:30 PM to 3:45 AM MDT; check the 30-minute Aurora Forecast for updates and look skyward for greens and reds.
Northern lights could appear in Central New York as the local forecast outlines what to expect for Friday and the weekend, with nicer June weather on the horizon and details from the regional meteorologist.
A major solar outburst is driving geomagnetic activity that could produce auroras across roughly half the United States tonight, depending on weather and light conditions, with the northern tier most likely to see the lights and southern areas possible if skies stay clear.
A strong geomagnetic storm watch (G3) has been issued for June 4–5 as multiple coronal mass ejections from the Sun head toward Earth, with a mid-afternoon arrival and potential continued activity into the evening. Southeast Michigan could see the Northern Lights, especially if skies stay clear and you’re away from city lights; viewing may be aided by a phone night mode. Auroras can be visible even when not directly overhead, depending on atmospheric conditions and gas interactions high in the atmosphere.
A renewed geomagnetic storm could bring another display of the northern lights to Utah, with visibility depending on solar activity and clear skies.
Three solar flares aimed at Earth could boost geomagnetic activity and brighten the northern lights across much of the United States, but the exact intensity and timing of impacts on technology remain uncertain.
A trio of powerful solar flares from sunspot region 4455—M9.3, M7.9 and an X1—launched coronal mass ejections that could spark auroras as far south as Illinois and other U.S. states during June 4–5, 2026. NOAA has issued a G3 geomagnetic storm watch, warning of potential displays in dark skies away from city lights; exact timing may shift, so check real-time forecasts.
A severe-level aurora forecast expands to 23 U.S. states on Thursday as intensified solar activity drives geomagnetic storms that could produce vivid Northern Lights displays, weather permitting and under dark skies.
Forecasts of geomagnetic activity suggest the aurora borealis could be visible tonight in eight U.S. states under dark, clear skies, with the best viewing away from city lights; monitor the KP index and cloud cover for the best window around evening hours.
Forecasters warn of a severe geomagnetic event that could spark a vivid Northern Lights display across 23 states on Thursday and Friday as solar wind reaches Earth; clear skies may allow the aurora to be visible well into the central and eastern U.S., not just the far north.
Scientists analyzing five red aurora events over Hokkaido, Japan (2024–2025) found the displays reached unusually high altitudes (about 310–500 miles) during storms not considered extreme, suggesting some solar storms carry more energy than traditional geomagnetic indices indicate. The study, published May 19 in the Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate, used ground images and satellite data and could improve space‑weather forecasting as solar activity remains near the cycle’s peak.
Three coronal mass ejections are racing toward Earth and could produce glancing geomagnetic storms over the next few days, raising the odds of seeing the northern lights across parts of the northern United States tonight and possibly into May 20. If conditions peak at G1, viewers in Alaska, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan and Maine may spot auroras; with a stronger G2, Idaho and New York could join the show. Most CMEs will miss Earth, but lingering solar wind from a coronal hole could boost geomagnetic activity. The best viewing window is a few hours around local midnight in clear, dark skies away from light pollution, though visibility remains unpredictable depending on magnetic field alignment.
A geomagnetic storm could bring the aurora borealis into nine U.S. states on Monday, offering a rare viewing opportunity under dark, clear skies. For the best chance to see it, find a dark area away from city lights and check local aurora forecasts for the optimal viewing window, typically late evening into the early hours.
NOAA expects a minor G1 geomagnetic storm from a fast solar wind that could bring the northern lights to parts of the northern U.S. tonight into early Saturday, best seen after dusk in dark, rural areas. Potential viewing spans Alaska and northern states including Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine, aided by a new moon that darkens the skies. Auroras occur when solar wind energizes atmospheric gases.