You May Be Able to See the Northern Lights Tonight — What to Know

The view line for an aurora sighting is right through the U.S. until Oct. 5.

By Alison Fox Alison Fox

Alison Fox is a Travel + Leisure contributor. She has also written for Parents.com, The Wall Street Journal, and amNewYork. When she’s not in New York City, she can be found at the beach or on the slopes. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on October 3, 2024

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The northern lights may be visible over the lower 48 states starting Thursday night, offering a somewhat rare chance to see the spectacular phenomenon.

The view line for Thursday and Friday night’s Aurora Borealis extends as far south as the northern tip of Oregon, Idaho, into Wyoming, the northern part of Illinois, Michigan, the northern part of New York, and up through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Residents as far south as Iowa and Nebraska may even be able to see the display, while those in the northern parts of Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota will likely have the best chance. 

There is also a very high chance of seeing the lights across most of Alaska and large parts of Canada.

The chance to see the northern lights so far south is due to heightened solar activity with a  geomagnetic storm warning issued for Oct. 3 to Oct. 5., Space.com reported. 

That is due to a “large plume of plasma and magnetic field known as a coronal mass ejection (CME) fired off from the sun during a recent explosive X-class solar flare on Oct. 1,” according to the site. 

The CMEs interact with Earth's magnetosphere, according to Space.com, and “bring electrically charged particles called ions that collide with Earth's magnetic field. These collisions can spark geomagnetic storms.”

The northern lights tend to occur in short bursts of 15 to 30 minutes, and are usually most visible from about 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. local time. They can appear as green, purple, or even red. However, light pollution and cloud cover can also impact your ability to see the display.

While the Northern Lights aren’t typically visible in the contiguous United States, there are plenty of destinations travelers can go to increase their chances of seeing the amazing phenomenon from Iceland to Alaska, Finland, Sweden, and even the Scottish Highlands.