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Northern Lights Could Reach About 25 U.S. States Tonight, NOAA Says

NOAA says a Kp index of 4 could push aurora into the northern U.S. during the Lyrids peak.

Overview

  • NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a Kp index of 4 on Tuesday, a moderate geomagnetic level that can bring aurora into the northern U.S.
  • The viewing line reaches as far south as Nebraska and Iowa, with the best odds in Alaska and states along the Canadian border.
  • Best viewing is in dark skies between about 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, away from city lights or glare.
  • The forecast overlaps the peak of the Lyrids meteor shower, offering a chance to see meteors and the aurora in the same night.
  • NOAA's aurora dashboard is back online after a brief outage, and forecasts point to a similar line but much lower odds on Wednesday.