Northern Lights Could Dazzle Skies Across 20 U.S. States Tonight as Powerful Solar Storm Intensifies

Get ready for a spectacular display of the northern lights across the United States, as a powerful solar event detected by NOAA has significantly increased the chances of witnessing the breathtaking phenomenon on Thursday night into early Friday morning. Forecasters have upgraded the incoming disturbance to a G2 geomagnetic storm after an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection was observed leaving the Sun.

A Solar Blast From The Sun Changes The Forecast

The upgraded forecast follows the detection of a coronal mass ejection, or CME, launched from the Sun after increased solar activity earlier this month. Scientists closely monitor these eruptions because they can send clouds of charged particles directly toward Earth, triggering geomagnetic storms capable of producing vivid aurora displays far from the Arctic Circle. According to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, the storm is now expected to reach G2 intensity, a moderate level strong enough to push aurora visibility farther south than usual. The best viewing window is currently forecast between 10:00 p.m. EDT Thursday and 1:00 a.m. EDT Friday.

Millions Across Northern And Central States Could Witness The Aurora

The upgraded geomagnetic forecast dramatically expands the potential viewing zone for the aurora borealis. Under weaker G1 storm conditions, the northern lights would mostly remain confined to states near the Canadian border, including Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine. With the new G2 forecast, visibility may extend into parts of Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. In ideal conditions, people located away from city lights may only need a clear northern horizon to spot faint aurora activity.

Why The Sun Is Becoming More Active Again

Solar scientists have observed a renewed rise in activity on the Sun after several quieter weeks. On May 7, an M2-class solar flare erupted from an active sunspot region, signaling that the Sun’s magnetic activity was intensifying again. Solar flares and CMEs are both driven by unstable magnetic fields twisting above sunspots, which are cooler and darker areas on the Sun’s visible surface. The Sun is currently approaching the peak phase of its approximately 11-year solar cycle, a period marked by more frequent eruptions and stronger space weather events. This growing activity explains why aurora displays have become more common and more intense over the past year.