Topline
The northern lights may be visible in a selection of states just south of the Canadian border on Tuesday, following a brief period of geomagnetic storms earlier in the week, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAA forecast a Kp index of four on a scale of nine for Tuesday night, suggesting the northern lights may be visible as far south as southern Minnesota.
Tuesday’s auroral activity follows a period of strong to severe geomagnetic storms Monday night and early Tuesday, after the effects from a coronal mass ejection—emitted from the sun’s surface over the weekend—reached the Earth’s atmosphere.
Calmer auroral activity is expected through Wednesday night, as no geomagnetic storms or other solar activity are expected to disrupt Earth’s geomagnetic field.
The northern lights have a high likelihood of visibility in northern Canada and in Alaska, once the sun sets in the state. A lower, yet still possible chance is forecast in parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Upper Michigan and Maine. (See map below.)
Though the northern lights are best seen during the winter months, the phenomenon can still be visible throughout the year depending on solar activity. NOAA recommends traveling to a north-facing, high vantage point away from light pollution to see the aurora borealis, which are most visible between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.
NOAA suggests enabling night mode, disabling flash and utilizing a tripod to stabilize the image if using a smartphone. With a regular camera, photography experts told National Geographic it’s best to use a wide-angle lens, an aperture or F-stop of four or less and a focus set to the furthest possible setting.
Solar activity, largely responsible for producing the northern lights, peaked in late 2024 and will likely remain near a “solar maximum” into early 2026, according to NOAA and NASA. Electrons from solar events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections collide with molecules of oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing them to become “excited” before releasing energy in the form of colorful, swirling lights.