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8h ago

Northern Lights Reach Into Mid-U.S. As G2 Storm Peaks

A coronal hole’s fast solar wind triggered a G2 storm that pushed auroras unusually far south.

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, were spotted over Prosperous Lake near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, on March 13, 2026.
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Northern lights glimmer above the Columbia River Gorge from Chanticleer Point Lookout early on May 11, 2024, in Latourell, Oregon.
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Overview

  • Following Friday night’s peak into early Saturday, the aurora was seen across many northern and some mid‑latitude states under NOAA’s moderate G2 geomagnetic storm watch.
  • NOAA still flags elevated activity for Saturday night with a Kp index near 6, though forecasters say visibility will likely fade after the peak.
  • A corotating interaction region formed where fast wind from a coronal hole plowed into slower solar wind, compressing the magnetic field and boosting auroral intensity.
  • NOAA’s long‑range Aurora Viewline map is temporarily offline, so use the agency’s 30‑minute forecast or aurora apps for real‑time checks, and seek dark northern horizons under the new‑moon skies.
  • G2 storms can degrade HF radio and GPS and, at times, induce currents in power lines and stress satellites, so conditions can change quickly even as skywatching chances taper.