Topline
A series of geomagnetic storms and other activity from the sun’s surface will likely pull the northern lights further south on Thanksgiving, with mild auroral activity forecast on Tuesday, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast.
The northern lights may be visible in states like Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota.
Key Facts
NOAA forecast a Kp index of three on a scale of nine for Wednesday night, meaning the northern lights will be seen further south from the North Pole and be “quite pleasing to look at” for anyone in the right areas.
Minor, moderate or greater geomagnetic storms are likely on Thursday and Friday, increasing the Kp index forecast to five and nearly six for either day, respectively, after a filament eruption on the sun’s surface earlier this week, according to NOAA’s three-day forecast.
NASA forecast up to 16 solar flares and 35 coronal mass ejections from the sun’s surface this week, including a filament eruption—clouds of plasma suspended in the sun’s atmosphere—on Nov. 25 that NOAA said would cause the northern lights to be pulled further south.
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Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible?
A view line—marking a minimal opportunity to see the northern lights—sweeps just below the Canadian border, while Alaska and northern Canada have a low likelihood of seeing aurora borealis. Parts of northern Montana, North Dakota and northern Wisconsin have a low chance of viewing the phenomenon, while northeastern Oregon, northern Idaho, northeastern South Dakota and upper Michigan have an even lower likelihood. (See viewing line below.)
Wednesday night’s view line.
Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible On Thanksgiving?
The view line will dip even further south on Thursday, with a high chance of seeing aurora borealis across northern Canada and Alaska. A low likelihood of viewing the northern lights is forecast across states along the Canadian border, including Washington, Montana, North Dakota and parts of Northern Idaho, South Dakota and upper Michigan. A lower chance of seeing the phenomenon is expected in parts of Wyoming, Iowa, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.
Thursday night’s view line.
What’s The Best Way To See The Northern Ligh
NOAA recommends traveling to a high vantage point away from light pollution to see the northern lights, which become visible between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.
What’s The Best Way To Photogrpah The Northern Lights?
A regular camera can capture the northern lights with the focus set to the farthest possible setting, a wide aperture and a high ISO value. If using a smartphone, Iceland’s tourism website recommends turning on night mode with a wide aperture.
Key Background
More sun spots and coronal mass ejections are expected through 2025 and into early 2026 as activity on the sun’s surface has reached a “solar maximum,” according to NASA. The northern lights are the result of bursts of magnetic energy reacting with Earth’s atmosphere, which often comes from events on the sun’s surface, like sun spots or coronal mass ejections. Colorful movement in the night sky is the result of magnetic reconnection, or the process in which magnetic fields suddenly snap into new shapes like rubber bands, NASA said. This peak will cause aurora borealis to become more visible to more people below the Canadian border, and activity has already exceeded experts’ expectations through the sun’s 11-year cycle, which began in 2019. Auroral activity reached its strongest point earlier this year, according to NASA, with possibly the strongest auroras seen in 500 years in May.
Further Reading
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