The Northern Lights may be visible in northern U.S. state and central Canada on Tuesday night, according to a forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
Sky-watchers in 14 U.S. states may have a chance to see the aurora borealis on the northern horizon as soon as it gets dark, though astronomical twilight often persists much of the night above about 50 degrees north latitude in July.
Latest Northern Lights Forecast
The agency’s three-day forecast indicates a minor geomagnetic storm, measured at a value of G1 on a scale of G1 to G5. According to NOAA’s forecast, the Kp index — which provides a rough guide to the intensity of auroral displays — may reach 5.
In a discussion post, NOAA officials stated that a G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm is most likely on July 23 UTC, which translates to late on July 22 for North America. The “unsettled to active” geomagnetic conditions — minor disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field — could continue through Thursday, according to NOAA.
Where The Northern Lights May Be Visible
NOAA’s latest aurora viewlines indicate that aurora displays are a possibility in northern U.S. states and Canada, with 14 U.S. states having a chance after dark on Tuesday, July 22.
U.S. states that may see aurora include (northerly parts of) Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Areas far from light pollution are likely to offer the best views.
However, high-latitude locations — such as Alaska, northern Canada Scandinavia and Iceland — will have a better chance.
Check NOAA’s 30-minute forecast or use the Glendale App for the latest forecasts.
Why The Northern Lights Are Being Seen In The U.S.
The imminent potential display of aurora is due to a high-speed stream of solar wind coming from a coronal hole — a gap in the sun’s outer atmosphere, its corona, where solar wind escapes more freely into space. It’s also of “negative polarity,” which means its magnetic field is orientated in such a way that interactions with Earth’s magnetic field are enhanced, if aligned just right.
More generally, the possibility of displays of the aurora borealis at more southerly latitudes than is typically down to an increase in solar activity, which is currently at a 23-year high due to the ongoing solar maximum period.
The sun is now thought to be on the wane, having peaked in late 2024, but solar maximum periods often have double peaks. Besides, the best aurora displays often occur in the few years after solar maximum. If the current solar cycle does have a long tail, good aurora sightings in the U.S. could result for a few years.
What Causes The Northern Lights
The Northern Lights are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field. Although the magnetic field deflects much of it, some charged particles accelerate along the magnetic field lines toward the polar regions, where they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, exciting them and causing them to release energy as light.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
