Northern Lights Alert: Some States Could See Aurora Borealis Thursday
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday some geomagnetic storms will likely disrupt Earth's magnetic field soon, which could make the northern lights visible in several states tonight.
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NOAA forecast a Kp index of five on a scale of nine for Thursday night, suggesting the northern lights will become brighter as they become more active while moving farther from the poles.
Thursday's auroral forecast will likely increase through the night and into Friday morning, when some 'minor' or greater geomagnetic storms are expected, according to NOAA's three-day forecast.
Calmer auroral activity is expected through Saturday night, with a maximum Kp index of just over three and two for Friday and Saturday, respectively, NOAA's projections suggest.
The northern lights have the highest chance of being seen throughout Canada, with a minimal opportunity—marked by a 'view line'—forecast through northern Iowa and other northern states. A lesser chance is expected in northern Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, with a near-zero chance forecast for parts of northern Wyoming, South Dakota, northern Iowa, northern New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. While Alaska is forecast with a high likelihood, the state won't be dark enough at the time. (See map below.)
Thursday's view line.
NOAA recommends traveling to the north and finding a high, north-facing vantage point away from light pollution. If in the right area in optimal weather conditions, the aurora borealis can be visible even with lower geomagnetic activity, including a Kp index of three or four, the agency said, noting the northern lights are best seen within at least two hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.
Photography experts told National Geographic a wide-angle lens and an aperture or F-stop of four or lower are recommended, though other settings like ISO and shutter speed will likely need to be adjusted depending on the strength of the aurora borealis. With a smartphone, the experts suggest using a tripod to stabilize the image long enough to capture the northern lights displays. They also recommend disabling flash and enabling night mode.
An increase in northern lights displays throughout the U.S. follows a peak in solar activity reached in October 2024, NOAA and NASA said. This peak features more solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which produce the northern lights as electrons from these events collide with oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth's atmosphere. Though the northern lights can be seen throughout the year, they are most visible between late September and March when nights are longer, experts said.
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