Northern Lights Forecast: These U.S. States May See Aurora This Week

Where will the Northern Lights be visible tonight? The Northern Lights may be seen this week — specifically on Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov. 29 — in the continental U.S. after space weather forecasters predicted favorable geomagnetic storm conditions.

On Tuesday, Nov. 26, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center published an updated Northern Lights forecast for this week. It states that the Northern Lights may be seen as low as New York to Wisconsin to Washington state.

Why Northern Lights Are Expected

After a quiet time on the sun over the past few weeks in the wake of an impressive burst in mid-October, the renewed possibility of displays of the aurora borealis at relatively southerly latitudes comes after solar flares and coronal mass ejections supercharged the solar wind. On Monday, Nov. 25, an M9.4-class solar flare — very close to a powerful X-class — was detected on the sun. It was followed by a coronal mass ejection, an expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s hotter outer atmosphere, its corona.

What’s more, the sunspot it emerged from is turning toward Earth, making more solar flares this week likely.

Where To See The Northern Lights

A G1 geomagnetic storm is being forecast for Thursday, Nov. 28 and a G2 geomagnetic storm for Friday, Nov. 29. G2 storms are generally seen as far south as New York and Idaho. However, it’s difficult for space weather forecasters to predict exactly what would happen. If a G3 geomagnetic storm materializes, aurora could be seen as far south as Illinois and Oregon. Wednesday, Nov. 27 is likely to see levels of geomagnetic activity below G1.

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Skywatchers are advised to check NOAA’s aurora view line, which is available for tonight and tomorrow night, and its 30-minute forecast, where the latest forecasts are posted. Those in the U.K. should check Lancaster University’s AuroraWatch website.

Best Way To See The Northern Lights

If a display is predicted for the U.S., avoiding light pollution is imperative. Suggested locations are an International Dark Sky Place (U.S./worldwide), a Dark-Sky Preserve (Canada) or a Starlight Reserve (Spain). Another way is to consult a light pollution map; anywhere with a dark northern horizon is a good potential location.

However, the best and most reliable way to see the Northern Lights is to travel north, in the northern hemisphere, between September and March (when there's sufficient darkness). That means Alaska, northern Canada and northern Scandinavia (Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland).

A G1 (Minor) watch has been issued for Nov. 28, and a G2 (Moderate) watch was issued for Nov. 29, 2024.

What Causes The Northern Lights?

The solar wind causes the northern lights. It's a stream of charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field.

As charged particles strike Earth's magnetic field, they accelerate down its magnetic field lines at the north and south poles to create ovals of green and red.

Aurora is typically seen in polar regions at around latitudes of 70 degrees north and south, but during extreme geomagnetic conditions — usually when CMEs arrive at Earth one after another or in tandem — the auroral oval can bulge, with displays then seen as far as 40 degrees north and south.

Why Solar Activity Is So High

Solar activity is currently at a 23-year high, with May 10’s extreme G5 geomagnetic storm being the most severe in the past two decades and possibly for hundreds of years.

The sun is now in its “solar maximum” period, according to NASA and NOAA, which means a more intense solar wind and a higher chance of more southerly Northern Lights for at least the next year.

The sun has an 11-year cycle during which its magnetic activity waxes and wanes. Its level is calculated daily by counting sunspots. Sunspots are magnetic disturbances on the sun’s surface that can be as big as Earth. The number of sunspots on any day indicates how magnetically active the sun is.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.