Don't Miss Tonight's Northern Lights Show—These 18 States Have the Best View
The northern lights may be visible tonight across parts of the northern U.S., including states as far south as Illinois, due to predicted geomagnetic storm activity.
NOAA forecasts moderate G2 geomagnetic storm conditions between 2 and 5 a.m. EDT.
The best chance to view the auroras is from a dark, north-facing location around 2 a.m.Those in the United States, as far south as Illinois, could have the chance to see a spectacular light show tonight. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the northern lights are projected to illuminate the skies this evening.
The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) is predicting minor to moderate geomagnetic storms in the very early hours of Friday morning, with a slight chance of strong G3 levels, caused by an incoming coronal mass ejection (an ejection of plasma mass from the sun's corona).
Geomagnetic storms are ranked from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme). A G2 storm means that the aurora oval—the zone where there is a higher probability of seeing the northern lights—could move farther south, allowing more parts of the northern U.S. to spot the natural phenomenon, especially if there's minimal light pollution. G3 conditions could bring auroras as far south as Pennsylvania, but that's less likely.
Based on the NOAA forecast, residents in 18 states including Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, South Dakota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, New York, Wyoming, Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois will have an opportunity to spot the northern lights, with those in the northernmost parts having the greatest possibility.
According to NOAA's Kp index forecast, activity could begin as early as 11 p.m. EDT tonight, with moderate G2 storm conditions occurring from 2 to 5 a.m. EDT, which will be the best aurora viewing window. There is also a chance the geomagnetic storm will pop up Friday night into Saturday morning instead, according to the Met Office, the United Kingdom's national meteorological service. So if you don't see the auroras tonight, be sure to check back tomorrow night.
The Kp index is a scale from 0 to 9 used to measure geomagnetic activity. The higher the number, the more likely auroras are to be visible at mid-latitudes, away from the poles. NOAA currently predicts the Kp index will peak at 6 in the middle of the night tonight.
If you're in an area with the potential to experience auroras, head out and find a north-facing location with a clear view of the horizon that's as far away from light pollution as possible. The best time to see the northern lights will be around 2 a.m. local time.
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