Topline
Several states in the northern U.S. could have an opportunity to view the northern lights on Tuesday, following a recent period of geomagnetic storms, 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 and Wisconsin.
Tuesday night’s auroral forecast follows periods of geomagnetic storms throughout the day, following the effects of high-speed winds from a cooler, less dense spot on the sun’s surface and a recent coronal mass ejection, according to NOAA, though the solar activity is unlikely to disrupt Earth’s geomagnetic field through the night.
Calmer auroral activity is expected on Wednesday and late Thursday, with a maximum Kp index of around three forecast for either day, according to NOAA’s three-day outlook.
The northern lights have the highest likelihood of visibility across northern Canada and Alaska, once the sun sets in the state. A lesser, yet still possible chance is forecast for parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Upper Michigan and Maine. (See map below.)
Though the phenomenon is more visible in the winter as nights are longer, the northern lights can still be seen throughout the year, depending on solar activity. NOAA recommends traveling to a high, north-facing vantage point away from light pollution sometime between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, when the lights are most active.
With a smartphone, it’s best to enable night mode, disable flash and rely on a tripod to stabilize the image, according to NOAA. If using a regular camera, photography experts have recommended using a wide-angle lens, an aperture or F-stop of four or less and a focus set to the furthest possible setting.
Solar activity ramped up late last year as the sun reached a “solar maximum,” according to NASA and NOAA. This peak, occurring periodically throughout the sun’s 11-year cycle, represents an increase in solar events like coronal mass ejections and solar flares. Electrons from these events intersect with molecules of oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing them to become “excited” before releasing energy in the form of swirling lights. A “solar maximum” is projected to persist into early 2026, suggesting the northern lights will continue to be more visible farther south.