Some of the northernmost states may be able to see aurora borealis Saturday night, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast, possibly the last chance for this weekend before the forecast weakens for Sunday night.
The Northern Lights may be visible in some states Saturday night. (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via ... [+]
Saturday night’s northern lights forecast may be visible in about nine states with a Kp index of three on a scale of zero to nine, indicating “brighter” auroral activity that can be “quite pleasing to look at.”
There are no geomagnetic storms expected Saturday, which can strengthen the northern lights forecast, though some minor to moderate radio blackouts may occur between March 1 and March 3, according to NOAA.
The northern lights forecast weakens substantially after Saturday, according to NOAA’s three-day forecast, with projected Kp indexes of between 1 and 2.
Much of Alaska, as well as nearly all of Canada, have a chance of viewing the northern lights Saturday night. Other states that fall within the view line, the southernmost location from where the lights may be visible, include Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
The best time to catch the northern lights is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, according to NOAA. The agency recommends finding a high vantage point, traveling as far north as possible and avoiding light pollution to get the best view of the lights.
National Geographic recommends using a wide-angle lens and using a tripod for stability. If using an iPhone, night mode can help capture the northern lights. National Geographic also recommends an aperture value of 4.0 or lower and composing the image by capturing trees, bodies of water or mountains to frame the image.
The northern lights had an unusually active year in 2024 that has continued into 2025. NASA said the visibility of aurora borealis hit a 500-year peak in 2024 because solar activity, like flares and geomagnetic storms, far exceeded scientists’ expectations. The agency said in October the sun had reached its “solar maximum,” the period during its 11-year solar cycle during which solar activity is the most active. Some of the strongest solar storms in decades occurred during 2024, including a strong solar flare measured at a level of X9.0, causing auroras with a Kp index as high as 7. The northern lights were also sometimes visible as far south as Florida. NASA estimates heightened solar activity will continue through 2026 before decreasing in the latter part of the decade.
Hundreds of employees at NOAA—the agency that issues northern lights forecasts, as well as forecasting the weather, monitoring the climate and working on coastal restoration—were fired earlier this week, as President Donald Trump’s administration informed workers including meteorologists, scientists and communications officials they no longer had jobs. Some scientists and politicians have warned these firings could have consequences for ship navigation, farmers and weather forecasts, including severe storm warnings.
How Americans will feel the impact of Trump’s weather forecasting layoffs (CNN)