Northern Lights Could Be Visible From These Nine States Tonight

Aug 31, 2026 03:51 AM - 1 day ago 4

Topline

The bluish lights could beryllium visible from immoderate bluish U.S. states connected Sunday night, according to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, though forecasters are presently not expecting immoderate abstraction upwind that typically makes the lights visible further south.

The aurora has a debased chance to beryllium visible from immoderate states on the U.S.-Canadian separator connected Sunday night.

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Key Facts

NOAA is forecasting a Kp scale of 4 retired of 9 connected Sunday night, meaning the aurora could look brighter pinch much “motion and formations” successful immoderate places.

Forecasters astatine NOAA were not expecting immoderate abstraction upwind events that could effect the aurora connected Sunday night, according to the agency’s astir caller three-day forecast, however, the agency did rumor an alert for the higher expected Kp scale connected Sunday afternoon.

Where Could the Northern Lights Be Visible?

The aurora has a “low” likelihood of visibility for respective states on the U.S.-Canadian border, according to NOAA’s forecast map. These see bluish Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The lights besides person a precocious likelihood of visibility from astir of Alaska. However, the sun sets very precocious successful Alaska during the summertime months, meaning the nighttime entity mightiness not get acheronian capable for the aurora to go visible.

What’s the Best Way to View the Northern Lights?

Experts astatine NOAA urge viewers recreation arsenic acold northbound arsenic imaginable to drawback a glimpse of the aurora. Viewers should past position themselves connected an perfect vantage constituent pinch a bully position of the entity facing north, ideally arsenic acold distant arsenic imaginable from cities aliases different sources of agleam lights. The aurora is astir progressive successful the hours conscionable earlier and aft midnight, according to NOAA, truthful viewers should effort to hunt for the aurora betwixt 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

What’s the Best Way to Photograph the Northern Lights?

A photographer who said to National Geographic said viewers tin return value photos of the bluish lights utilizing smartphone cameras, provided they usage the correct instrumentality and settings. Photographers should retrieve to bring a tripod and distant timer erstwhile trying to seizure images of the lights, arsenic each cameras request to beryllium held still for agelong periods of clip to seizure the aurora successful the acheronian nighttime sky. Smartphone users should besides retrieve to move disconnected their flash settings, move connected nighttime mode and sprout utilizing RAW image format if possible.