How to Catch a Glimpse of the Northern Lights Tonight

Before any fireworks light up the sky this Memorial Day weekend, the northern lights could put on a show.

Auroras may be visible at high latitudes tonight, thanks to glancing blows from two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) launched by the sun late last week, plus a speedy stream of solar wind, according to Space.com. A CME is an expulsion of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun.

Isolated minor (G1) geomagnetic storm conditions are possible tonight, May 19, into tomorrow, due to the lingering CME effects combined with elevated solar wind speeds from a coronal hole, according to the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).

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Based on the current forecasted aurora view line, which indicates the southernmost point where viewers may see the auroras, Alaska, Canada, and the northernmost parts of the U.S., including Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Washington, have the greatest chance of spotting the northern lights tonight.

Also, the Kp index reached its peak earlier today at 4.67 on a scale of 9. The higher the number, the farther south the northern lights can appear.

If you want to catch the northern lights tonight, head outside between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time and find a north-facing spot with a clear view of the horizon, far away from light pollution. Be sure to give your eyes time to adjust and use your phone's camera to scan the sky, as it's better at picking up faint auroras than the naked eye.