Northern Lights Forecast: 10 States May See Aurora Wednesday Night

InnovationScienceNorthern Lights Forecast: 10 States May See Aurora Wednesday NightByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorApr 29, 2026, 10:35am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.The northern lights may be visible overnight from up to 10 northern U.S. states on Monday, April 27, into Tuesday, April 28, according to NOAA. (Photo by Oscar Chuberre / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesThe northern lights may be visible overnight from northern U.S. states on tates on Wednesday, April 29, into Thursday, April 30, according to a forecast by space weather experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The forecast is for a possible G1 geomagnetic storm.Northern Lights Tonight: Where And WhenA G1-class geomagnetic storm could see aurora visible on the northern horizon from around 10 northern U.S. states and Canada. U.S. states with the best chance include Alaska and (northerly parts of) Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine.If a G2 geomagnetic storm develops, states farther south may also see aurora, including Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.To check visibility in real time, use NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast or download apps such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast or Glendale Aurora for up-to-the-minute alerts and live solar wind data.Northern Lights Alert: Solar WindThe northern lights are caused by the solar wind, a constant stream of charged particles flowing from the sun that interacts with Earth’s magnetic field. While most are deflected, some particles spiral along magnetic field lines toward the poles, colliding with oxygen and nitrogen atoms high in the atmosphere. These collisions excite the...