Northern Lights Alert: 20 States May See Aurora On Thursday Night

The aurora borealis glows in shades of green, pink, and purple above farmland during a rare appearance in rural southern Wisconsin in Monroe, Wisconsin, USA, on September 14, 2025. The northern lights could become visible across parts of the northern U.S. overnight on Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24, as two coronal mass ejections travel towards Earth from the sun. (Photo by Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

NurPhoto via Getty Images

The northern lights could become visible across parts of the northern U.S. overnight on Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24, as two coronal mass ejections travel towards Earth from the sun. A CME is a cloud of magnetic fields and charged particles from the sun.

According to Spaceweather.com, the two CMEs are minor, but if both of them make contact with Earth’s magnetosphere, they could combine to produce a G1-class geomagnetic storm.

A G1-class geomagnetic storm would potentially bring aurora into view from northern-tier U.S. states close to the Canada border. Here’s how to photograph the northern lights with a phone.

The short summer nights, combined with this week’s first quarter moon, may make faint aurora harder to see, with lingering twilight making it more difficult to spot the glow of aurora low on the northern horizon. The forecast comes as noctilucent clouds are being seen in the northern hemisphere, and a comet brightens.

Northern Alert For Tonight

According to a forecast by space weather experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a G1-class geomagnetic storm could begin as it gets dark in North America on Thursday, July 23.

However, a forecast discussion states there’s also a 25% chance of a G2-class geomagnetic storm, which would mean aurora being seen in U.S. states farther south. The two CMEs left the sun on July 20 and 21, respectively. “A G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm is likely on 24 Jul if the latter of the two events arrives at Earth,” states NOAA. “Modeling suggests that a bulk of the material from this event should pass north and ahead of Earth, but higher levels of geomagnetic storming (25% for G2 or greater) cannot be ruled out if this event is indeed more Earth-directed than predicted.”

The UK Met Office’s Space Weather Operations Center is forecasting a similar scenario, stating: “The CME observed from the northwest limb on 21 Jul has been assessed as a possible glancing Earth-directed event, although the majority of the ejecta is expected to pass north of Earth.” The forecast added that solar winds are expected to be elevated to potentially strong levels, with a chance of a G1 geomagnetic storm.

The agreement between NOAA and the UK Met Office suggests forecasters expect a relatively modest space weather event, but enough to give observers across northern-tier U.S. states a chance of seeing the northern lights if skies are clear — and the solar wind’s magnetic field turns southward as it reaches Earth.

Northern Lights Forecast For The U.S.

A G1 geomagnetic storm can sometimes make the aurora visible from northern U.S. states, particularly from dark locations close to the Canadian border.

Potential viewing areas may include parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. However, widespread visibility across the central or southern U.S. is not expected under the current forecast.

During a G2 geomagnetic storm, there is also potential for observations of aurora from states farther south, including Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. However, there is never any guarantee and some locations may record only a faint photographic glow.

Aurora Alert: Solar Wind Conditions

Aurora visibility will ultimately depend on the strength of the solar wind, cloud cover, local light pollution and the orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field. The latter, known as Bz, is one of the most important factors. When Bz points south, it can connect more efficiently with Earth’s magnetic field, allowing energy and charged particles to enter the magnetosphere. A sustained period of southward Bz could make the aurora brighter and push it farther south than expected. If Bz remains northward, however, the resulting display may be weak or restricted to higher latitudes.

Skywatchers should look toward the northern horizon during the darkest part of the night. A location away from streetlights and other sources of light pollution will offer the best chance of seeing faint aurora.

Aurora Alerts: Latest Updates

Aurora forecasts can change quickly after a high-speed solar wind stream reaches Earth. To check visibility in real time, use NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast or download apps such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast or Glendale Aurora for up-to-the-minute alerts and live solar wind data.

Smartphone cameras using Night Mode or a long-exposure setting may detect faint green, red or purple aurora before the colors become obvious to the naked eye.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.