Northern Lights Forecast: 17 States May See Aurora Borealis Thursday Night

1 hour ago 2

Topline

The northern lights have a much higher than usual chance to make an appearance Wednesday night in parts of the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which forecast mild auroral activity along the northern U.S. border.

UNITED STATES - 2015/08/26: Northern lights over Frederick Sound in Southeast Alaska, USA. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

LightRocket via Getty Images

Key Facts

A Kp index of seven was issued by NOAA for Thursday night, meaning the “aurora will move even further from the poles and will become quite bright and active.”

NOAA has not forecast any geomagnetic storm impacts, which can contribute to stronger auroral displays.

Observers will have a far less favorable chance at seeing the northern lights Friday, which has a forecast Kp index of four.

Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible?

NOAA’s forecasts suggests a chance of seeing the lights in much of Washington state, the northeastern tip of Oregon, northern Idaho, Montana, northern Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, northern Nebraska, Minnesota, northern Iowa, Wisconsin, northern Michigan, northern New York state, far northern Vermont, far northern New Hampshire and northern Maine. Much of Alaska has a very favorable forecast. For all states within the forecast, chances of seeing the northern lights will improve the further north observers are. In addition to much of Alaska, viewers in northern Minnesota, northern North Dakota and far northeastern Montana have a “high” chance of seeing the northern lights tonight—a rare designation for the Lower 48.

Thursday's aurora forecast.

NOAA

What’s The Best Way To See The Northern Lights?

Prospective viewers should try to see the northern lights from places with little to no light pollution. The hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. are typically when the lights are most active.

What’s The Best Way To Photograph The Northern Lights?

Use of tripods, night mode, wide-angle lenses and low apertures can help observers capture photos of the aurora borealis. Try to avoid using flash when grabbing shots of the northern lights.

Key Background

The sun reached the peak of its 11-year solar cycle two years ago and has since brought heightened auroral activity to the U.S. After reaching a 500-year peak in 2024, the northern lights have remained active along the northern U.S. border, though that is forecast to change the more time passes from the height of the solar cycle, with forecasts expecting 2026 to be the final year of decent northern lights activity.