Davenport, IA – Residents across eastern Iowa and western Illinois may catch a rare encore of the Northern Lights tonight as a powerful solar storm continues to energize skies across the United States. The same event that brought vivid auroras from Texas to Maine Tuesday night remains active, offering Midwestern skywatchers another chance to see the colorful display.
According to the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities, skies will remain mostly clear overnight with gradually calming winds, setting up ideal viewing conditions. The best viewing times are expected between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., facing north and away from city lights.
The ongoing G3-level geomagnetic storm, driven by a series of solar eruptions, is pushing auroral visibility far south of normal. If skies stay clear, aurora activity may again be visible from Davenport, Rock Island, Galesburg, and Dubuque, as well as rural areas north of Interstate 80.
Meanwhile, the local forecast calls for a warming trend through the week, with highs rising from the 50s today to near 70°F by Friday and Saturday, possibly nearing record levels for mid-November. Breezy southwest winds will accompany the warm-up before cooler air returns early next week.
If you missed last night’s display, tonight could be your final chance for aurora viewing before clouds and warmer air return to the region.
