At least 17 U.S. states are likely to see northern lights Thursday night

A strong geomagnetic storm could trigger a display of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, across most of Canada and at least 17 U.S. states on Thursday night.

The Space Weather Prediction Center alerted on X on Thursday morning that the geomagnetic activity that causes the northern lights reached Level 3 of 5, which will allow them to show up more intensely and for a longer period of time.

The center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, defines a strong geomagnetic storm as a large disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field caused by jets of superheated gas erupting from the sun’s outer atmosphere and brief bursts of radiation called solar flares. Bryan Brasher, a spokesman for NOAA, said Thursday night’s aurora is the result of two individual coronal mass ejections that made impact on Sunday and Tuesday.

The geomagnetic storm arrived predawn Thursday and the northern lights were visible as far south as Virginia and California.

There’s a possibility that some of the most-northern states will be able to see the aurora again Friday night, according to the space weather center’s aurora dashboard.

Here’s what you need to know about your chances to see the aurora.

Where are the best places to see the northern lights Thursday night?

Current NOAA models show that geomagnetic storm activity will reach high levels early Thursday night. However, the space weather center recommends going out at night when it’s darkest.

The states with the best viewing of the aurora Thursday night will be Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

“I suspect they’ll probably sustain itself for a little bit and kind of taper off,” Brasher said.

What will the aurora look like near me?

Auroras vary in appearance; some manifest as shimmering green and purple drapes, while others present a softer red and orange glow. The colors and patterns of an aurora can change based on the viewer’s latitude and altitude.

The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center recommends going out at night, usually between 10 p.m. and. 2 a.m.. Brasher said cloud activity could prevent a clear view of the aurora, so it’s best to check local weather reports.

“These hours of active aurora expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases,” according to the center’s website. “There may be aurora in the evening and morning but it is usually not as active and therefore, not as visually appealing.”

The space weather center also suggests getting away from the city and finding a dark area outside that will allow the aurora lights to shine brightly.

Will this affect communications systems or the power grid?

For a moderate to strong geomagnetic storm, there should not be a severe effect on communications systems or the power grid.

For the most part, individuals should not be affected or need to take extra precautions beyond what they might for a typical severe weather storm. In case a power outage does occur, people should make sure they have batteries, a weather radio and a generator, if necessary.

A severe geomagnetic storm in May was the largest recorded in the past 20 years. A severe geomagnetic storm can cause issues with power systems, spacecraft operations, radio communications and even pipeline systems, if not appropriately prepared for.

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Kasha Patel and Jason Samenow contributed to this report.