How to Check Whether the Northern Lights May Be Visible

What can make the northern lights reach farther south?

The northern lights, also called the aurora borealis, are coloured lights in Earth's upper atmosphere. They form when charged particles from the Sun collide with gases in the atmosphere. ⁴

The Sun sometimes sends out fast streams of solar wind. In a report published on November 6, The Weather Network said a stream from a coronal hole was passing Earth. A coronal hole is a region of the Sun's atmosphere that allows solar material to flow into space. ¹

When solar wind disturbs Earth's magnetic field, auroras may become visible farther from the poles than usual. The report said the stream could cause geomagnetic storms and noted a G1, or minor, storm watch for Friday night. Brief G2, or moderate, activity was also possible. ¹

Does a northern lights forecast guarantee a display?

No. A forecast describes a possibility, not a promise that the aurora will appear over your town. A November 6 report said the lights could reach parts of Canada. Another report said they might be visible in places including New York and Idaho during November 6–8. ¹²

The reports do not confirm that people in those places saw the aurora. Nor do they provide a current forecast for each location on Sunday night, November 8. The Weather Network's forecast for Friday, November 6, gave a possible activity period from sunset to around 10 p.m. Eastern time. ¹

Weather matters as well. Clouds can block the view, and the sky needs to be dark enough to see the lights. The Weather Network advised readers to check for clear skies. ¹

How do I check my chances of seeing the aurora tonight?

Start with a current space-weather forecast from an official source. The November 6 report cited information from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. Check the date and time covered by any alert: a forecast for an earlier night may no longer apply. ¹

Then check your local forecast for cloud cover and darkness. An aurora forecast cannot tell you whether clouds will hide the sky where you are. The sources provided for this article do not include live cloud conditions or an updated local aurora outlook for November 8.

Treat any list of possible viewing locations as a guide, not a guarantee. The reports name broad areas but do not say what someone in a particular neighbourhood will see. ¹²

What does a geomagnetic storm watch mean?

A geomagnetic storm is a disturbance in Earth's magnetic environment. The November 6 report described a G1 watch, which it called minor, and said brief G2, or moderate, activity might occur. ¹

A watch means the conditions are possible; it does not confirm that the event will happen as predicted. In this case, the report linked the possible disturbance to a fast solar-wind stream from a coronal hole. ¹

For someone hoping to see the lights, the useful step is to look for updated information. The reports describe the November 6–8 forecast period, but they do not establish whether a storm is happening now or whether auroras are visible tonight.

What is still uncertain about seeing the lights?

The available reports cover a forecast period from November 6 through November 8. They do not confirm sightings or provide a live update for the evening of November 8. ¹²

They also do not give a precise chance of seeing the aurora from a specific town. The practical answer is that auroras were considered possible during the reported period, including in some places farther south than usual. Whether you can see them depends on current space weather and local sky conditions. ¹²