Aurora Borealis Visibility Diminishing in 10 U.S. States Tonight

Geomagnetic storms are expected to make the aurora borealis visible in about 10 states on Monday night, but the chances are dwindling. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated that minor to moderate geomagnetic storms, caused by solar activity, were likely through Tuesday. These storms could offer a glimpse of the northern lights in parts of almost every state bordering Canada, as well as South Dakota.

States such as Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Washington, Idaho, South Dakota, and Maine could get a view of the aurora borealis. However, by Tuesday night, the visibility is expected to move north, limiting the display mostly to states like Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

These geomagnetic storms are expected to continue offering views of the aurora borealis in the United States as Solar Cycle 25 progresses toward its peak in July 2025.

To catch the lights, it’s best to look around midnight, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., and to be as far from city lights as possible for optimal viewing.

Last month, the aurora borealis was visible from 50 states during a severe geomagnetic storm, the first of such magnitude since January 2005.

The aurora borealis, or northern lights, are created when energized particles from the sun hit Earth’s atmosphere. The particles bounce off Earth’s magnetic field, with some redirected toward the poles, where they transform into displays of wavy curtains of light. The lights, often pink, green, blue, and purple, are most often seen within a 1,550-mile radius of the North Pole, including northern Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. Similar lights can be seen around the South Pole, but they are usually visible on land only from Antarctica.