Where and when will the Northern Lights be visible tonight? A Northern Lights forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center indicates a potential view of aurora borealis on the northern horizon on Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15 from northern-tier and midwest U.S. states.
In comes in the wake of a G2-rated geomagnetic storm early on Friday, March 14 that coincided with a spectacular total lunar eclipse.
Northern Lights Forecast Tonight: Where
According to NOAA, aurora may be seen tonight from Washington, northern Oregon, northern Idaho, Montana, northern Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, northern Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, northern New York, northern Vermont and Maine. For Saturday, the chances are smaller, with only eight of the most northerly U.S. states standing a chance.
NOAA's aurora viewline for Friday, March 14, 2025.NOAA
Northern Lights Forecast Tonight: Latest Updates
Knowing when a geomagnetic storm will begin — and how intense it will be — is all about knowing when a coronal mass ejection (a cloud of charged particles that left the sun two or three days ago) reaches Earth and begins interacting with the atmosphere. That's not easy, but there is a warning system.
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Although there is always uncertainty about a prediction of displays of the aurora, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center knows the characteristics of a CME when its particles strike the sensors of the DSCOVR and ACE satellites, which orbit Earth about a million miles out. They measure a CME's speed and magnetic intensity, which is critical in calculating how the solar wind is about to change.
Depending on the speed of the CME, the satellites give about 15-30 minutes warning of a major space weather event — and the resulting displays of aurora. That's why aurora hunters need to keep an eye on NOAA’s 30-minute forecast, where the latest updates are posted.
People visit St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis, commonly known as the ... [+] northern lights, on May 10, 2024 in Whitley Bay, England. The UK met office said a strong solar storm may allow northern parts of the UK the chance to see displays of aurora. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)Getty Images
Why Aurora Are More Frequent Right Now
The possibility of displays of the aurora borealis at more southerly latitudes than is typical comes a spike in solar activity, which is currently at a 23-year high. In October, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel announced that the sun had reached its “solar maximum” phase, the peak of its 11-year solar cycle.
That could mean displays of Northern Lights at more southerly latitudes than is typical for at least the next year.
Why Aurora Are Strongest Close To An Equinox
Equinoxes and solstices result from the 23.5-degree tilt of Earth's axis and the way that it affects light and heat from the sun. While a solstice occurs when Earth’s axis is titled such that one of the planet’s hemispheres receives the maximum sunlight and the other its minimum, an equinox is the halfway point between them. At the equinoxes, the Earth’s axis is side-on to the sun.
As well as being geometrically open to receiving the solar wind, this period also sees the magnetic fields of Earth and the solar wind briefly aligned. According to the Russell-McPherron Effect, this leads to cracks through which charged particles can accelerate, causing more intense displays of aurora.
Northern Lights Forecast: What Causes Aurora
The solar wind is a stream of charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field. They’re super-charged by a coronal mass ejection that travels to Earth over a few days.
Aurora is typically seen in polar regions at around latitudes of 70 degrees north and south, but during extreme geomagnetic conditions — usually when CMEs arrive at Earth one after another, or in tandem — the auroral oval can bulge, with displays then seen as low as 25 degrees north and south of the equator.
The Aurora Borealis lights up the night sky over Pitstone Windmill in Buckinghamshire on October 10, ... [+] 2024 in Pitstone, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)Getty Images
Why The Northern Lights Are Green And Red
As charged particles strike Earth’s magnetic field, they accelerate down its magnetic field lines at the north and south poles to create ovals of green and red. Green aurora are caused by charged particles striking low-altitude oxygen molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere, while red aurora result from high-altitude oxygen molecules.
The colors tell you how high up the aurora you see. According to the Canadian Space Agency, green aurora occurs about 60-190 miles (100-300 kilometers) up, red aurora at about 180 to 250 miles (300 to 400 kilometers) and rarer blue about 60 miles (100 kilometers).
If you see red, you’re likely looking at the high-altitude edges of a display raging farther to the north.
Northern Lights Forecast: The Best Way To See Them
Get to a location low on light pollution if you can, such as a Dark Sky Park or anywhere away from a major urban area. It’s most important to have a northern horizon that’s free from artificial light. If you can’t escape an urban area, ensure there are no bright lights in your field of view, particularly to the north, where displays are most likely.
Many displays of aurora, particularly from cities where light pollution dampens their brightness, are, in practice, “photographic aurora,” which show up much better in a photo than in reality. So keep your smartphone handy — and engage “night mode” or similar — which will give the grey streaks you see in the sky a greenish or reddish color.
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Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.