Unusually Strong Auroras are Forecast Over Washington State Tonight

If you live in Washington, you’ve probably already heard the buzz that the Northern Lights are back tonight. Believe the hype because this storm could be visible as far south as Texas.

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It is not just a faint promise of color on the northern horizon, but the chance of a real light show in Washington this time.

Strong Northern Lights Forecast for Most of the USA Tonight

I have always lived in Washington State, and the Northern Lights I usually associated with places like Alaska or Norway. Once, in high school, I finally saw bright green lights dancing in the sky and realized what they actually looked like.

With a G4 (Severe) geomagnetic storm forecast for tonight, states as south as Texas might see the lights, and that gives people in Washington the best chance I can remember in a while.

On April 18, the National Weather Service announced that a G4 storm had been observed thanks to a pair of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the sun. Solar activity like this messes with Earth’s magnetic field in interesting ways.

Fast forward to June 1–2, and NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center upgraded its watch, officially putting us in the “seriously cool things might happen” category. And they weren’t wrong.

Sky Conditions are Clear for Washington State Viewing

In the Pacific Northwest, we are going to be lucky and get decent, clear sky conditions, especially up north. NWS Seattle tweeted that the clouds would mostly hold off until early morning, giving most of Washington State a solid window to catch the lights.

Last night, the storm hit early and was visible in Washington. NWS Spokane shared a photo taken in Elk around 2 a.m. with the familiar green-pink glow stretched across the sky.

The Best Time to Look for Northern Lights Tonight

The best time to look will be from 11 PM to 2 AM, outside of the city lights, where it is dark. Tonight, bring your blankets, some hot cocoa, and your camera on your phone. Look to the northern sky for waves of green and red above the treeline.

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Sometimes there is lots of movement, but usually the colors seem still and are harder to see. If you are having issues seeing color, try using your camera on your phone. It can catch the aurora colors better than your naked eye.

After tonight, there are storms in the G1-G3 range, but your best chance in a while is tonight. Check spaceweather.gov for updates and cross your fingers for those predicted clear skies.