Science & nature

Northern Lights in your city? This April 17 you could see it if you live in one of these 17 states

The atmospheric phenomenon will be visible over a number of US states in the month of April.

Mads Claus Rasmussen

Born in Leeds, Joe finished his Spanish degree in 2018 before becoming an English teacher to football (soccer) players and managers, as well as collaborating with various football media outlets in English and Spanish. He joined AS in 2022 and covers both the men’s and women’s game across Europe and beyond.

Update: Apr 17th, 2025 12:56 EDT

The fascinating cosmic spectacle of the Northern Lights are set to be visible across more than a dozen US states, with scientists announcing a solar storm is headed towards Earth and will arrive on on April 17.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a geomagnetic storm watch that left the surface of our nearest star on Sunday; they will, after a journey of 93 million miles, collide with Earth.

What is the Aurora Borealis?

The Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, occur when solar wind reaches and reacts with the Earth’s magnetic field. Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are significant ejections of solar plasma that burst away from the surface of the star and into space; very few of them are fired towards our planet, but those that do leave a beautiful footprint.

NOAA’s GOES Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI), which sits on board a satellite, allows forecasters to monitor the Sun’s hot outer atmosphere. The agency say that it aids in the “the detection of solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and other phenomena that impact the geospace environment."

G3 Watch! A shock associated with a CME or both CMEs combined arrived! The strength and orientation of the magnetic energy of the CME will dictate how far the aurora might develop tonight - so keep informed by visiting https://t.co/TV7Yw6LXRw for the latest information & updates! pic.twitter.com/UyynP7pl12
— NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) April 15, 2025

The Geomagnetic Storm Severity Scale ranks the, as you may have guessed, severity of solar winds, with the incoming outburst a 3 out of 5. G3 storm conditions can cause minor disruptions to satellite, radio and GPS communications, NOAA say, as well as being very much visible to those with a clear sky on the night.

Which US states will be able to see the Northern Lights on April 17?

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Here’s a list of which states may be able to see the incoming Aurora Borealis:

Alaska
Maine
Michigan
Minnesota
Montana
New Hampshire
North Dakota
Oregon
South Dakota
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin

They may also be visible in parts of Idaho, Iowa and New York, Nebraska and Wyoming.

#SolarFlares and coronal mass ejections (#CME) have had some strange effects here on Earth, from spectacular auroras to blackouts and more. Thankfully, @NOAA satellites are keeping an eye on things!

Check out some of the most memorable solar events and their effects from… pic.twitter.com/X5lZkkUxcv
— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) April 14, 2025

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