Barely a week after the northern lights were seen across the world during a rare severe G4 geomagnetic storm, aurora may once again be glimpsed, this time from 11 U.S. states down to mid-latitudes overnight on Tuesday, Jan. 27, through Wednesday, Jan. 28, according to a forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
The forecast is for a minor G1 geomagnetic storm, the first level on NOAA’s five-level Space Weather Scale, as a turbulent solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetic field.
Northern Lights Alert: Where And When To Look
According to NOAA, a new high-speed stream of solar wind is expected later on Jan. 27 and into Jan. 28, with a brief G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm likely. That means possible auroras at high latitudes.
NOAA’s aurora view line shows the northern lights potentially visible — most likely low on the northern horizon — in up to 11 U.S. states near the Canada border.
States in pole position include Alaska and (northerly parts of) Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine.
Northern Lights Alert: Latest Updates
The exact timing of space weather is difficult to predict because it depends on the speed of the solar wind. Continually monitor NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast and SpaceWeatherLive.com, as well as apps such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast, SpaceWeatherLive or Glendale Aurora, which provide live solar wind data.
Look for data on the interplanetary magnetic field’s Bz component, which determines how easily solar energy enters Earth’s magnetosphere. When Bz points north, Earth’s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in. A sustained southward Bz of -5 nT or stronger usually signals an imminent display of aurora.
Northern Lights Alert: The Night Sky On Jan. 27-28
NOAA’s latest forecast calls for a heightened geomagnetic activity as darkness falls on Tuesday, Jan. 27, when a 68%-lit waxing gibbous moon will make it more difficult to see faint aurora (the full snow moon will rise on Sunday). However, there’s a bonus for skywatchers because the moon will sit just to the left of the Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus.
How To See The Northern Lights
Since this may be a photographic aurora, for the best views, locate a dark place using the Dark Sky Place Finder and a light pollution map. The darker the northern sky, the more vibrant the display — even during moderate geomagnetic storms. A clear northern sky will be required.
Even during moderate storms, auroras can appear as faint, gray or milky arcs to the naked eye, while appearing vivid in photographs. Modern smartphones are capable aurora cameras when conditions cooperate. Enable Night Mode or Pro Mode, use the main camera lens, and stabilize the phone with a tripod or solid surface.
The Northern Lights And Solar Maximum
Though the sun appears to have reached its solar maximum in late 2024, strong solar activity continues and is expected into 2026. The declining phase of solar maximum is notable for having extreme solar events, so more landmark aurora events are likely in the coming months.
There have been frequent sightings of the aurora far from the poles in the last two years, the most severe of which was an extreme G5 geomagnetic storm on May 10-11, 2024, the most severe since 2003.
What Causes The Northern Lights
Auroras occur when charged particles from the solar wind accelerate down Earth’s magnetic field lines and collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms high in the atmosphere. These collisions excite the gases, which then release energy as shimmering light.
Although the sun is thought to have reached solar maximum — the peak of its 11-year activity cycle — in late 2024, the years immediately following often remain volatile, with strong Northern Lights expected sporadically throughout 2026.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
