Everything You Need to Know About Tonight's Spectacular Northern Lights

by Marcin Frąckiewicz
in Astronomy, Nature, Travel
on 31 August 2025

Solar Storm Sparks Rare “Aurora Extravaganza” Visible Far Beyond the Arctic

Surprise Northern Lights Show: A strong solar storm is triggering an unusually far-reaching display of the aurora borealis, with colorful lights possibly visible in over a dozen U.S. states and comparable mid-latitude regions worldwide ts2.tech space.com. Even areas as far south as New York, Virginia, Missouri – and reports even from Kentucky – have a chance to glimpse the northern lights, a rarity at these latitudes ts2.tech people.com.
Cause – Major Solar Eruption: An Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME) – a billion-ton blast of solar plasma – was launched by a long-duration solar flare on Aug. 30. It’s expected to hit Earth around Sept. 1–2, sparking G3 (“strong”) geomagnetic storm conditions spaceweather.com space.com. Space weather experts note this eruption may be a “cannibal CME,” where a second solar outburst overtakes an earlier one, potentially boosting its impact space.com.
Why It’s Special: Geomagnetic storms of this strength (Kp 7–8) occur only a few times per solar cycle, pushing auroras far beyond their usual polar zones. The last time auroras reached such southerly areas was during rare storms in 2023 and early 2024 ts2.tech science.nasa.gov. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has issued a storm watch, warning that auroral displays could dip into the continental US and Europe if forecasts hold ts2.tech spaceweather.com.
Expert Insights: Scientists emphasize that the Sun is near the peak of its 11-year cycle, so solar activity is high. “While the Sun has reached the solar maximum period, the month that solar activity peaks … will not be identified for months or years,” notes NOAA space weather director Elsayed Talaat, meaning more surprises like this CME could still occur ts2.tech science.nasa.gov. Space physicist Dr. Tamitha Skov adds that two eruptions might be involved – “the larger one catches up with the smaller one just ahead of Earth,” a scenario that can intensify the geomagnetic impact space.com.
Aurora Alerts and Timing: NOAA forecasters predict the strongest aurora displays Monday night into early Tuesday (Sept. 1–2) once the CME arrives space.com space.com. Peak activity is expected overnight, roughly 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. local time in affected areas abcnews.go.com. Minor light shows might precede the main storm, so skywatchers are advised to “stay tuned for updates as the CME approaches” ts2.tech ts2.tech.

What Are the Northern Lights? The Science Behind the Glow

The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) are a dazzling atmospheric phenomenon caused by disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field – typically from eruptions on the Sun. When the Sun flings off charged particles in a solar flare or CME, those particles stream toward Earth. Our planet’s magnetic field deflects most of them, but some energetic particles funnel down near the North and South Poles ts2.tech. There, they collide with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen high in the atmosphere, “exciting” those gas atoms and making them release photons (light) ts2.tech. The result: shimmering curtains of colored light that dance across the sky.

The aurora’s colors depend on altitude and atmospheric gases: oxygen emits a green glow (the most common color) and, higher up, a faint red; nitrogen produces blues and purples ts2.tech. During strong solar storms, these luminous curtains can spread much further from the poles than normal. Scientists use the Kp index (0–9) to measure geomagnetic storm intensity. A minor G1 storm (Kp 5) might give auroras in the far northern U.S., whereas an extreme G4–G5 event (Kp 8–9) can push auroras to states as far south as the Deep South ts2.tech – or equivalently, into mid-Europe and other lower latitudes. In essence: the stronger the geomagnetic storm, the farther from the poles the aurora can shine ts2.tech.

Why This Aurora Event Is Noteworthy

This week’s aurora outbreak is drawing attention because of its unusual reach and intensity. The SWPC alert is for a G3 (Strong) geomagnetic storm – strong enough that auroras “could extend much farther south than usual” space.com space.com. For context, NOAA notes that G3 storms can make auroral displays visible at roughly geomagnetic latitude ~50° ts2.tech ts2.tech. That’s roughly overhead in places like Illinois, Oregon, Germany or Poland – far from the Arctic ts2.tech. Indeed, forecasters say this event could bring visible aurora low on the horizon in upper Midwest states and New England, and possibly even a faint glow in lower mid-latitudes if conditions are ideal ts2.tech.

“Auroras may be photographed in US states as far south as Virginia, Missouri and Colorado,” NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center advises for this storm spaceweather.com spaceweather.com. Skywatchers in the UK are also on notice: Britain’s Met Office expects the “auroral oval” to be significantly enhanced, with a chance of auroras reaching England’s Midlands and Wales under clear skies space.com. Such low-latitude auroras are rare – usually occurring only a few times per solar cycle when the Sun unleashes an especially energetic eruption ts2.tech. In fact, earlier this year, a geomagnetic storm in late April was among the strongest in decades, igniting auroras in over 30 U.S. states (as far south as North Carolina and Arkansas) ts2.tech. The current event isn’t expected to quite match that historic storm, but it’s certainly one of the best aurora opportunities of the current solar cycle.

Another factor making this event remarkable is the Sun’s one-two punch: there may have been two CMEs fired in quick succession. Dr. Tamitha Skov, a space weather physicist, noted evidence that “there may actually be two Earth-directed solar eruptions involved… with one possibly catching up to and merging with the other.” In such a “cannibal CME” scenario, a larger, later eruption overtakes an earlier one, which “could trigger an initial disturbance before the main storm hits” space.com. In practical terms, this means the aurora could flicker on and off: a preliminary light show if the first CME’s shock arrives early, then a bigger wave of activity when the main CME impacts. It adds uncertainty – the aurora might start in some areas on Sunday night (Aug. 31) before the main peak on Monday night. As Skov put it, “Impact is expected by late September 1. G2+ conditions possible.” space.com

Solar Activity Status: Solar Cycle 25 Peaks

It’s no coincidence we’re seeing more auroral activity – the Sun is nearing its most active phase. We are currently in Solar Cycle 25, and both NASA and NOAA have indicated that the Sun entered its maximum phase in late 2024 abcnews.go.com. Sunspot counts have surged above predictions, and the frequency of solar flares and CMEs has increased accordingly science.nasa.gov science.nasa.gov. “Solar Cycle 25 sunspot activity has slightly exceeded expectations,” notes Dr. Lisa Upton, co-chair of NOAA’s Solar Cycle Prediction Panel science.nasa.gov.

However, reaching “solar max” is not a single moment but a plateau of heightened activity. “This announcement doesn’t mean that this is the peak of solar activity we’ll see this cycle,” cautioned NOAA’s Elsayed Talaat. “While the Sun has reached the solar maximum period, the month that solar activity peaks on the Sun will not be identified for months or years.” ts2.tech science.nasa.gov In other words, we may not know the true peak until well after it passes – and more intense flares or geomagnetic storms could still occur in late 2025 or 2026 ts2.tech science.nasa.gov.

Right now, multiple active sunspot regions are crossing the Sun’s Earth-facing side. Interestingly, the flare that caused this CME came from a relatively small sunspot (AR4204), not the larger sunspot experts had been eyeing spaceweather.com spaceweather.com. On Aug. 30, tiny AR4204 produced an M2.7-class solar flare that was unusually long-lasting (about 3 hours) – long enough to hurl a full-halo CME toward Earth spaceweather.com spaceweather.com. Both NASA and NOAA modeling agree this CME will slam into Earth’s magnetic field by late Sept. 1, potentially sparking G3 storm conditions into Sept. 2 spaceweather.com spaceweather.com.

The Sun has been busier than it’s been in over a decade. Just this past week, sunspot clusters were crackling with moderate flares (several M-class bursts) earthsky.org, and forecasters at NOAA estimate a 75% chance of more M-class flares in the next day or two, and even a 20% chance of a larger X-class flare in the very near future ts2.tech. That means the solar unrest is ongoing, and further solar storms are quite possible in the coming days. Space weather officials are closely monitoring new sunspots emerging on the Sun’s limb, any of which could spawn additional eruptions. For aurora enthusiasts, the timing is exciting: as long as the Sun stays active, the auroras will keep coming. NOAA anticipates additional geomagnetic storms throughout this solar maximum, offering more chances to catch the northern lights in 2025–26 science.nasa.gov science.nasa.gov.

When and Where Can You See the Northern Lights?

The best chance to see this aurora display will be on the night of Sept. 1 into the early hours of Sept. 2, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center space.com space.com. In North America, that’s Monday night into Tuesday morning (coinciding with the Labor Day holiday in the U.S.). However, skywatchers should also check the night of Aug. 31–Sep. 1 (Sunday night), since some auroral activity might kick off early if the initial shock from a precursor CME arrives ts2.tech ts2.tech.

Aurora forecast map for North America on Sept. 1, 2025, showing the potential visibility “view line” for auroras (in red) during the expected G3 storm space.com space.com. Areas above the red line – including much of the northern US – could see the northern lights if skies are dark and clear.

According to the latest NOAA forecast, 18 U.S. states lie in or near the aurora viewing zone for this event space.com space.com. The prime viewing area spans from the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho) across the Upper Midwest (Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska), and over to the Northeast (New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine) space.com space.com. Essentially, anyone living in the northernmost third of the continental U.S. should keep an eye on the sky. Canada, of course, will have brilliant auroras across many provinces. In Europe, Scotland, Scandinavia, the Baltics and other high-latitude areas are likely to see displays. If the storm reaches strong levels, mid-latitude countries like Germany, Poland, the UK, and Ireland could catch a faint auroral glow low on the horizon ts2.tech space.com. (Indeed, the British Met Office highlighted a chance for auroras into northern England and Northern Ireland for this storm space.com.) In the Southern Hemisphere, watchers in New Zealand and Tasmania should also be on alert for the southern lights (aurora australis).

Timing: Auroras most commonly become visible in the late evening through around local midnight, but during a geomagnetic storm they can occur anytime it’s dark. NOAA suggests the window between roughly 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. is generally most productive for aurora-hunting abcnews.go.com. In this case, the peak activity is forecast for about 2–5 a.m. Eastern Time on Sept. 2 (0600–0900 UTC), which means midnight to pre-dawn hours in North America space.com space.com. It’s a late-night endeavor – you may need to stay up very late or wake in the wee hours for the best chance. If the aurora does materialize, it often comes in waves: you might see a faint glow for an hour, then a burst of vibrant pillars, then a lull. Patience is key; the display can ramp up or fade at any time as Earth’s magnetic field fluctuates.

Best Viewing Practices: To maximize your chances:

Find Dark Skies: Get away from city lights and light pollution. Even a relatively faint aurora will stand out much better under truly dark, moonless skies abcnews.go.com 12onyourside.com. Fortunately, the Moon is at first quarter and sets around midnight this week, so after midnight the skies will be nice and dark naturally ts2.tech ts2.tech.
Face North (or South): In the Northern Hemisphere, face the northern horizon (the direction of the Arctic). In the Southern Hemisphere, look toward the far southern horizon. Auroras will typically start as a glow or diffuse smear of light low in the sky if you’re near the edge of the visibility range instagram.com space.com. If you’re at higher latitudes, the aurora could eventually climb overhead or all around you in “curtains.”
Watch Around Local Midnight: Auroral activity often intensifies near magnetic midnight (which is roughly around conventional midnight local time). Start keeping watch once it’s fully dark, but the hours around midnight to 2 a.m. often bring the strongest displays space.com space.com. Be prepared to wait outside for a while; bring warm clothing and maybe a comfortable chair or blanket.
Use Alerts & Apps: Consider using an aurora alert app or service. There are many free apps (e.g. My Aurora Forecast, Space Weather Live) that can send notifications if geomagnetic conditions (Kp index, etc.) become favorable for your location space.com. You can also sign up for text alerts from space weather services spaceweather.com spaceweather.com. The citizen-science site Aurorasaurus allows users to report real-time aurora sightings and sends alerts when others near you see the aurora abcnews.go.com. These tools can give you a heads up to head outside right when something starts.
Check the Forecast: NOAA’s Aurora Dashboard and Aurora Viewline maps (available on the SWPC website) are great references to see the predicted aurora extent for the current and next night space.com space.com. If your area is near or under the “viewline,” and a G2/G3 storm is forecast, you have a shot. Just remember, these are predictions – auroras can be fickle.

One tip for those in borderline areas: sometimes the aurora is too faint to discern with the naked eye, appearing as a greyish cloud or not at all. But a long-exposure photo or even a smartphone on Night Mode might reveal the telltale green or purple glow in the sky abcnews.go.com. In fact, “smartphones and digital cameras may be able to capture the light shows even if they are not visible to the naked eye” because camera sensors can accumulate the faint light better than our eyes abcnews.go.com. So if you suspect aurora but barely see it, try snapping a 5-10 second exposure – you might be surprised to see green bands pop out in the photo!

Impacts on Technology and Infrastructure

While the aurora borealis is beautiful, the solar storm driving it can have side effects here on Earth. The same geomagnetic disturbances that energize the upper atmosphere can induce electrical and magnetic fluctuations that affect technology. Experts emphasize that the ongoing storm is moderate-to-strong (G2–G3), so any tech impacts are expected to be manageable and temporary ts2.tech ts2.tech. Here are some potential effects:

GPS and Navigation: During geomagnetic storms, GPS signals can become less accurate or briefly disrupted. NOAA notes that at G3 storm levels, “GPS and satellite navigation may suffer intermittent errors” ts2.tech. This is because changes in Earth’s ionosphere (a charged layer of the atmosphere) can distort the GPS radio waves. So, your phone or car GPS might momentarily have trouble locking on, especially at high latitudes. Airline navigation systems and any precision GPS users will be aware of this and often have mitigations in place ts2.tech.
Radio Communications: High-frequency (HF) radio communications – used by aircraft on polar routes, mariners, ham radio operators, etc. – can experience fades or blackouts during solar storms. Auroras are actually an audible nuisance to radio: HF radio signals can be absorbed or crackle with noise when the ionosphere is disturbed ts2.tech. Airlines sometimes re-route polar flights during strong solar events to avoid losing radio contact.
Satellites: Satellites in low Earth orbit feel the storm too. When Earth’s magnetic field is rattled, the upper atmosphere heats up and expands, increasing drag on satellites. Mission controllers may temporarily mitigate this by boosting satellites to slightly higher orbits or be prepared to correct their trajectories. Additionally, satellites can accumulate electrical charge during geomagnetic storms, which in rare cases can damage components. For this storm, operators are on alert: satellites could experience surface charging or slight orientation issues, and increased atmospheric drag is expected (meaning orbital decay might speed up a bit during the storm) ts2.tech ts2.tech. NASA and SpaceX, for instance, closely track space weather to protect the International Space Station and the Starlink internet satellites. (Notably, a minor storm in 2022 caused a batch of Starlink satellites to fall out of orbit, a cautionary tale for satellite providers.)
Power Grids: The electric power grid at northern latitudes is built to handle a certain amount of geomagnetic havoc. During strong auroral events, currents induced in the Earth can cause voltage fluctuations in high-voltage power lines. Grid operators in places like Canada and northern U.S. have procedures ready – they may temporarily limit certain transformers or adjust the system to dissipate the extra currents. At G3 level, some weak fluctuations are possible, but widespread power outages are not expected ts2.tech ts2.tech. The storm would likely have to reach G4/G5 (severe) for more serious grid effects. (For perspective, an infamous G5 storm in March 1989 knocked out Quebec’s power for hours. Today’s storm is two steps milder than that scenario.) Still, utilities will be watching closely.
Air Travel and Radiation: Solar storms often come with surges in high-energy particles (solar proton events). For this event, no major solar radiation storm is forecast (those usually accompany bigger solar flares than we’ve had). Pilots and crew on high-altitude polar flights might get a slightly elevated dose of radiation, but well within safe limits for infrequent exposure. If radiation levels were to rise, flights would simply avoid the pole route. Additionally, some commercial flights may use lower altitudes or more southerly paths if HF radio blackouts occur at the poles – standard practice during strong solar weather.

Encouragingly, the NOAA SWPC notes that G2–G3 storms happen dozens of times per cycle and are handled routinely ts2.tech ts2.tech. In most cases, impacts will be minor and unnoticed by the general public ts2.tech. For example, you likely won’t even realize if your GPS is ~10 meters off for a short period, or if your power company makes a subtle grid adjustment. However, space weather events like this serve as a reminder that our tech and the auroras are connected – a big solar belch causes Earth’s magnetosphere to wobble, and both skyglow and tech hiccups can result.

Scientists are eager to study this storm as a real-world experiment in space weather forecasting. With Solar Cycle 25 ramping up, agencies like NASA and NOAA have new missions on the way to improve predictions. In fact, NASA just launched a pair of “TRACERS” satellites in 2025 to study how the Sun’s plasma interacts with Earth’s magnetic field in real time abcnews.go.com abcnews.go.com. “What we will learn from TRACERS is critical for understanding and eventually the predicting of how energy from our Sun impacts our Earth and our space and ground-based assets… It’s going to help us keep our way of life safe here on Earth,” said Joe Westlake, NASA’s Heliophysics Division director abcnews.go.com. This storm will provide valuable data to test models and remind us why such research is important: in extreme cases, solar storms can damage satellites and disrupt power grids abcnews.go.com. The more we understand them, the better we can protect modern infrastructure.

Bottom Line

For now, the focus for the public is on the night sky spectacle. The combination of an active Sun and the coming dark autumn nights means we have a real chance to witness the northern lights well beyond their usual realm. If you live in the northern United States, Canada, or a similar latitude, keep an eye on the skies tonight and tomorrow night. Seeing the aurora this far south is a treat that might only come a few times in your life.

If weather permits and the storm hits as forecast, you might step outside and find a faint green glow on the horizon – or if you’re lucky, pulsing rays of pink and green undulating overhead. Seasoned aurora chasers recommend giving your eyes plenty of time to adjust to the dark and watching for a “misty cloud” that wasn’t there before. What starts as a gray smudge might suddenly intensify into shimmering light. And even if you don’t immediately see anything, don’t give up too soon – geomagnetic storms can be unpredictable, surging and subsiding over hours.

In the words of one NOAA space weather forecaster, “stay tuned for updates as the CME approaches” ts2.tech – and be ready to step outside at a moment’s notice. Mother Nature’s celestial light show could be gearing up to paint the sky in sublime hues of green and purple, no camping trip to the Arctic required. Enjoy the show, and clear skies!

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The science behind the northern lights (aurora borealis)