Aurora borealis alert: Where to see the northern lights in the US tonight
Skywatchers, get ready — the Northern Lights might put on a rare show across parts of the U.S. tonight (Wednesday, June 25), thanks to an incoming burst of solar energy. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center has forecasted a geomagnetic storm strong enough to push the aurora borealis into view as far south as the Midwest and Northeast.
It’s not every day you can spot this celestial phenomenon outside of Alaska or Canada, so if you live in one of 14 lucky states — and can escape light pollution — tonight could be your moment.
What causes the Northern Lights?The aurora borealis occurs when the solar wind — a stream of charged particles constantly flowing from the sun — slams into Earth's magnetic field. Most of this energy is deflected, but during periods of strong solar activity, some particles spiral down along magnetic field lines near the poles. There, they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the upper atmosphere, releasing bursts of colorful light that shimmer and dance in the sky.
The trigger for tonight’s potential display is a stream of solar wind flowing from a large coronal hole near the sun’s equator, according to Spaceweather.com. These coronal holes are cooler, less dense regions of the sun's atmosphere where magnetic fields open up, allowing plasma to escape more easily into space.
Where and when to watchAccording to NOAA’s three-day aurora forecast, a minor geomagnetic storm rated G1 to G2 on a five-point scale is expected tonight. The Kp index — a measure of geomagnetic activity — could hit 5, which is often strong enough to bring auroras into northern U.S. states.
The Northern Lights may be visible across parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Look north after sunset, preferably between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, and get as far away from city lights as possible. Just keep in mind: because we’re so close to the summer solstice, skies never go fully dark near the U.S.-Canada border, which may limit visibility even if auroras are active.
A solar cycle at its peakThis wave of auroral activity is part of a broader pattern. The sun is currently near the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, known as the solar maximum, which began ramping up in 2023 and likely peaked in late 2024. During these years, sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections become more frequent, and so do auroras.
Interestingly, some of the most spectacular auroral shows happen not during the peak itself, but during the long, slow decline afterward. That means 2025 and even 2026 could continue delivering stunning northern light displays across lower latitudes — if the conditions align.
The best way to watch the Northern LightsIf catching the northern lights is on your bucket list and you want a guaranteed experience, your best bet is still to head closer to the Arctic Circle. The auroral oval — where aurora activity is strongest — hovers around 65°N latitude. That includes places like:
It’s not every day you can spot this celestial phenomenon outside of Alaska or Canada, so if you live in one of 14 lucky states — and can escape light pollution — tonight could be your moment.
What causes the Northern Lights?The aurora borealis occurs when the solar wind — a stream of charged particles constantly flowing from the sun — slams into Earth's magnetic field. Most of this energy is deflected, but during periods of strong solar activity, some particles spiral down along magnetic field lines near the poles. There, they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the upper atmosphere, releasing bursts of colorful light that shimmer and dance in the sky.
The trigger for tonight’s potential display is a stream of solar wind flowing from a large coronal hole near the sun’s equator, according to Spaceweather.com. These coronal holes are cooler, less dense regions of the sun's atmosphere where magnetic fields open up, allowing plasma to escape more easily into space.
Where and when to watchAccording to NOAA’s three-day aurora forecast, a minor geomagnetic storm rated G1 to G2 on a five-point scale is expected tonight. The Kp index — a measure of geomagnetic activity — could hit 5, which is often strong enough to bring auroras into northern U.S. states.
The Northern Lights may be visible across parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Look north after sunset, preferably between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, and get as far away from city lights as possible. Just keep in mind: because we’re so close to the summer solstice, skies never go fully dark near the U.S.-Canada border, which may limit visibility even if auroras are active.
A solar cycle at its peakThis wave of auroral activity is part of a broader pattern. The sun is currently near the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, known as the solar maximum, which began ramping up in 2023 and likely peaked in late 2024. During these years, sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections become more frequent, and so do auroras.
Interestingly, some of the most spectacular auroral shows happen not during the peak itself, but during the long, slow decline afterward. That means 2025 and even 2026 could continue delivering stunning northern light displays across lower latitudes — if the conditions align.
The best way to watch the Northern LightsIf catching the northern lights is on your bucket list and you want a guaranteed experience, your best bet is still to head closer to the Arctic Circle. The auroral oval — where aurora activity is strongest — hovers around 65°N latitude. That includes places like:
- Northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland
- Iceland
- Alaska
- Northern Canada
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