As Americans ring in 2025, New Year’s Eve storm could allow US to see Northern Lights

For those living on the northern border of the United States, the stunning colors of the Northern Lights can be seen for the last time before the New Year.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a solar storm caused by two jets of plasma hurtling toward Earth could bring the Northern Lights into view early this week.

“The weekend of December 28-29 saw a flurry of activity as active areas and clusters of (sun) spots became unstable,” the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) reported.

Capture the Northern Lights in the United States and around the world with these viewing tips

And, tonight could be the perfect opportunity to capture the dancing colors in the night sky.

The tracker on the NOAA website states that it “shows a ‘line of sight’ representing the southernmost location from where you can see the auroras on the northern horizon.

Spectacular light displays are possible in Alaska, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

There may be a rare chance to see the Northern Lights this weekend due to solar flare

And parts of Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois and even New York may see slight lights.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports: “Aurora can usually be observed just after sunset or before sunrise at some point on Earth.”

“Auroras do not need to appear directly overhead, but when they are bright and conditions are right, they can be observed up to 1,000 kilometers away.”

Fox Weather Forecast said a coronal mass ejection (CME) struck the Earth’s atmosphere on Tuesday afternoon, causing geomagnetic storm observations on New Year’s Day.

Northern Lights could be seen in parts of the U.S. after ‘intense solar activity’ this week

SWPC expects the geomagnetic storm to continue into Tuesday night as people across the country ring in the New Year.

The Northern Lights may reach parts of Iowa this New Year’s Eve. (NWS Four Cities)

When it comes to viewing the Northern Lights, there are a few factors to be aware of in order to maximize your view – location, time of day, geomagnetic activity and darkness.

Place

When it comes to your location, the most important thing is to find a place with few obstacles.

Fox News previously reported that “the goal is to find a spot with the fewest tree lines or hills so that the northern horizon can be fully seen.”

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timing

The best time to see the lights is in the evening or early morning, and this is certainly true on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day this year.

The Northern Lights were captured on camera at the National Weather Service office in Cariboo, Maine, one of the places expected to see them on New Year’s Eve. (NWS via Fox Weather)

According to the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), “the best auroras usually occur within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 pm and 2 am local time).”

“Auroras may occur at night and in the morning, but they are usually less active and therefore less visually appealing.”

geomagnetic activity

According to SWPC, when the local magnetic field is active, auroras are brighter, stronger, and farther from the magnetic poles.

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The weather service website says the best time to see the northern lights is when the planet’s K index is eight or nine and the auroras are moving toward the equator.

“A strong, Category 5 Category 3 geomagnetic storm is possible on Tuesday, and a mild Category 1 storm is expected on New Year’s Day. However, space weather forecasters are considering upgrading their watches to a Category 2,” Fox Weather reports.

This New Year’s Eve, ring in the New Year with a stunning Northern Lights light show. (iStock)

dark

To get the best possible view of the Northern Lights, find the darkest spot possible.

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“The full moon also reduces the apparent brightness (but not the actual brightness) of the aurora,” SWPC continued.

You also want to make sure it’s a clear night with no clouds in the sky.