Northern lights expected across northern US tonight

A geomagnetic storm is forecast to paint the sky green and purple across a dozen northern states tonight, with the best viewing window between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, conditions on January 21 could bring the aurora borealis within sight of people in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The display won't be as widespread as earlier this week's aurora event, but if you're in one of these states and the clouds cooperate, it's worth stepping outside.

Finding Your Best View

Light pollution is the enemy of aurora hunting. City glow washes out the faint greens and purples that make the northern lights visible, so your best bet is heading to somewhere rural—a park on the edge of town, a quiet road, or open countryside. Even 20 minutes of driving away from streetlights can make a real difference.

If you're planning to camp out and wait, bring what you'd normally take on a cold night: blankets, snacks, a thermos. One practical tip: keep your phone or camera battery in your jacket pocket. Cold drains batteries fast, and you'll want working power if the lights actually show up.

Geomagnetic storms are inherently unpredictable—the sun's activity doesn't follow a neat schedule. What forecasters can do is watch the solar wind and alert us when conditions align. Tonight's storm is expected, but whether it will actually reach your latitude, and how bright it will be, depends on factors that shift hour to hour. That uncertainty is part of what makes aurora chasing compelling: you might see nothing, or you might step outside and find the sky alive with color.

If clouds roll in or the display fades before you get out, the photos people share online tomorrow will be worth seeing too. But if you're in the viewing zone and the sky clears, the real thing is worth the cold.