Northern Lights Forecast: Aurora Borealis Could Be Seen From These States Tonight

Topline

Some areas in the northern U.S. will have an opportunity to see aurora borealis on Saturday night, as solar radiation could affect radio communications, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast.

Key Facts

NOAA forecast a Kp index of three on a scale of nine for Saturday night, indicating the northern lights will be visible further south and be “quite pleasing to look at” for those in the right areas.

Similar auroral activity is expected on Sunday and Monday, with a maximum Kp index of three forecast for either day, according to NOAA’s three-day outlook.

There is a “slight chance” of solar radiation that could disrupt radio frequencies and strong radiation is possible through Monday, potentially disrupting power grids, NOAA said, while some radio blackouts were observed over the last two days.

Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible?

A view line marking a minimal chance of seeing the aurora borealis sweeps just below the Canadian border, while northern Canada and Alaska have a low likelihood of viewing the phenomenon. Areas in northern North Dakota, Montana and Wisconsin have a lower chance, while parts of northern Washington, Idaho, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan have an even lower likelihood. (See viewing line below.)

What’s The Best Way To See The Northern Lights?

NOAA recommends being at a high vantage point away from light pollution to view the northern lights, which peak in activity between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.

What’s The Best Way To Photograph The Northern Lights?

Even if the northern lights aren’t visible to the naked eye, a smartphone can capture the phenomenon with night mode turned on with a low shutter speed, according to Iceland’s tourism website. For a regular camera, Adobe suggests turning the focus to the farthest possible setting with a wide aperture, low shutter speed and high ISO value.

Key Background

Auroral activity follows the moon reaching one of its closest points to Earth for the last time this year. This event, resulting in a supermoon that’s about 14% larger and 30% brighter than the average full moon, was the fourth this year and is known as the “beaver” moon. The northern lights have become more visible to more people in recent weeks as activity on the sun’s surface reached a “solar maximum,” causing more sunspots and coronal mass ejections, according to NASA. During a strong geomagnetic storm last month, the northern lights were pulled as far south as Texas.

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