Major Northern Lights Alert: Aurora Borealis Visible in 22 States Monday Night

The Northern Lights may be seen from as many as 22 U.S. states down to mid-latitudes — such as Oregon, Illinois and Pennsylvania — overnight on Monday, Jan. 19, through Tuesday, Jan. 20, according to a forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center. Here’s how to take great Northern Lights photos with a phone. The forecast is for a “strong” G3 geomagnetic storm, the third level on NOAA’s five-level Space Weather Scale, as a “full halo CME” — an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection — strikes Earth’s magnetic field. ForbesNorthern Lights Tonight: How To Take Photos With A Phone — Expert Tips The CME, a cloud of charged particles ejected from the sun, left the sun on Sunday, Jan. 18, in the wake of a massive X1.9-class solar flare. Accompanying Sunday’s X1.9 flare was a full halo CME, which suggests the ejection is directed toward Earth, increasing the potential for geomagnetic disturbances upon impact. According to NOAA, it could arrive between Jan. 19 and 20. “Higher storm levels are possible as early as the end of the day on 19 Jan,” states NOAA. With a new moon on Sunday, Jan. 18, the night skies will be dark; if they’re also clear, an impressive display of aurora is possible. MORE FOR YOU Northern Lights Alert: Where And When To Look According to NOAA’s aurora view line, the Northern Lights may be seen in up to 22 U.S. states, from the Canada border to mid-latitudes. States in pole position include those to the north, including Alaska and (northerly parts of) Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and Maine. However, if a G3 geomagnetic storm results, that could mean more states seeing aurora, including Oregon, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. However, states farther north will always have the best odds. Northern Lights Alert: Latest Updates The exact timing of space weather is difficult to predict because it depends on the speed of the solar wind. Continually monitor NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast and SpaceWeatherLive.com, as well as apps such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast, SpaceWeatherLive or Glendale Aurora, which provide live solar wind data. Look for data on the interplanetary magnetic field’s Bz component, which determines how easily solar energy enters Earth’s magnetosphere. When Bz points north, Earth’s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in. A sustained southward Bz of -5 nT or stronger usually signals an imminent display of aurora. Northern Lights Alert: The Night Sky On Jan. 19-20 NOAA’s latest forecast calls for a heightened geomagnetic activity as darkness falls on Jan. 19, the day after a new moon. That means the darkest possible night skies since the moon is lost in the sun’s glare during the day and doesn’t appear at night. As a consequence, even faint auroras are likely to be visible, though any auroras that do appear will likely do so low on the northern horizon from northern U.S. states. How To Observe The Northern Lights Since this may be a photographic aurora, for the best views, locate a dark place using the Dark Sky Place Finder and a light pollution map. The darker the northern sky, the more vibrant the display — even during moderate geomagnetic storms. A clear northern sky will be required. Even during moderate storms, auroras can appear as faint, gray or milky arcs to the naked eye, while appearing vivid in photographs. Modern smartphones are capable aurora cameras when conditions cooperate. Enable Night Mode or Pro Mode, use the main camera lens, and stabilize the phone with a tripod or solid surface. What Causes The Northern Lights Auroras occur when charged particles from the solar wind accelerate down Earth’s magnetic field lines and collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms high in the atmosphere. These collisions excite the gases, which then release energy as shimmering light. Although the sun is thought to have reached solar maximum — the peak of its 11-year activity cycle — in late 2024, the years immediately following often remain volatile, with strong Northern Lights expected sporadically throughout 2026. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.