A swath of northern U.S. states may be able to see aurora borealis on Friday night, as high-speed winds from a spot on the sun’s surface may disrupt Earth’s magnetic field, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
High-speed winds from a spot on the sun’s surface may affect Earth’s magnetic field, pulling the ... [+]
NOAA forecast a Kp index of five on a scale of nine for Friday, indicating the northern lights will be more active and be “quite pleasing to look at” for those in the right areas.
An increase in auroral activity is likely the result of expected geomagnetic storm conditions caused by a coronal hole high-speed stream, or winds from a cooler, less dense area on the sun’s surface, which could disturb Earth’s magnetic field and pull the northern lights further south, according to NOAA’s three-day forecast.
Similar auroral activity is expected on Saturday with an expected Kp index of four before calming down for Sunday night, when a Kp index of three is forecast.
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Most of Alaska and northern Canada will have the highest chance of viewing the northern lights, with a view line—marking a minimal opportunity to see the phenomenon—that dips below the Canadian border. Parts of northeastern Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan have a low chance of seeing aurora borealis, while areas in northeastern Wyoming, northern South Dakota, northern Iowa, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine have an even lower likelihood. (See view line below.)
Friday night's view line
The northern lights are best seen between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time while at a high vantage point away from light pollution, according to NOAA.
Wide-angle lenses, an aperture or F-stop of four or less and a focus set to the farthest possible setting are recommended for capturing aurora borealis, photographers told National Geographic. If using a smartphone, turning on night mode and disabling flash is recommended.
The colorful displays are caused by the electrons of solar events—solar flares and coronal mass ejections—interacting with molecules and atoms of nitrogen and oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere. A peak in solar activity was reached in October 2024, with a “solar maximum” that will likely persist into early 2026, according to NASA. This peak coincided with what NASA said was a 500-year peak for aurora borealis displays after the strongest geomagnetic storm in the last two decades, which pulled the northern lights as far south as Texas and northern Florida.