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More than a dozen states will likely have a chance to see the northern lights Wednesday, as geomagnetic storms pull the phenomenon farther south again this week, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Some minor geomagnetic storms are possible because of a cooler, less dense spot on the sun’s ... More
Auroral activity is forecast with a Kp index of five on a scale of nine for Wednesday night, suggesting the northern lights will become brighter and more active further away from the poles.
Wednesday’s northern lights forecast follows recent geomagnetic storms caused by a solar flare emitted from the sun’s surface last week, though tonight’s auroral activity is likely produced by high-speed winds on a cooler, less dense spot on the sun’s surface, NOAA said.
Similar auroral activity is expected Thursday night with a maximum Kp index of five, NOAA’s early projections suggest, though the agency’s three-day forecast indicates a lower Kp index of nearly four is more likely.
NOAA projected a view line, marking a minimal opportunity to see the northern lights that sweeps through northern Iowa. Northern Canada and Alaska will have the highest likelihood of viewing the phenomenon, with a lower chance forecast in Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, northern Wyoming, North Dakota, northern South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. (See map below.)
Wednesday's view line.
It’s best to travel to an unobstructed, high vantage point away from light pollution between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to NOAA.
With a smartphone, NASA recommends turning on night mode, disabling flash and using a tripod to stabilize the image. If using a regular camera, NASA suggests using a wide-angle lens, an aperture or F-stop of four or less and a focus set to the furthest possible setting.
A peak in solar activity was reached in 2024, suggesting the northern lights will be increasingly visible into early 2026, according to projections from NOAA and NASA. Solar events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections are responsible for northern lights displays, as electrons from these events collide with oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere. This interaction allows the electrons to become “excited” before releasing energy in the form of swirling lights.