Aurora forecast: Northern lights likely across US, including New York

Aurora Forecast: Northern Lights Expected Across the US

The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center reports a strong geomagnetic storm currently underway, increasing the chances of seeing the aurora borealis, or northern lights, across much of the northern United States.

Visibility Range and Conditions

The northern lights are most likely to be visible from New York in the east to Washington state in the west. The viewing area extends as far south as Wyoming, Nebraska, and Iowa, based on a forecast map from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.

Visibility depends heavily on the storm's intensity and weather conditions. The clearer the night sky and the stronger the storm, the better the chances to observe this phenomenon.

Storm Classification and Impact

Early Thursday, NOAA declared a “G3” geomagnetic storm in progress. This scale ranges from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme). According to NOAA:

“A larger disturbance in Earth's magnetic field. It can vary in intensity between lower levels and strong storm conditions over the course of hours to a day during the event duration.”

Such strong geomagnetic storms not only enhance aurora visibility but may also disrupt technology, causing fluctuations in power grids and satellite interference, which can impact GPS systems.

Summary

A powerful geomagnetic storm is producing heightened Northern Lights activity across much of the northern US, with potential technological impacts to consider.

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Newsweek Newsweek — 2025-11-06

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