Lansing, Michigan – A space weather alert is in effect tonight as a rare G4 (Severe) geomagnetic storm creates strong potential for the Northern Lights to be visible across much of Michigan, according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
NOAA’s latest aurora forecast shows the auroral oval expanding significantly southward, placing most of Michigan, including both the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula, well within the zone for possible aurora visibility late tonight. Forecast guidance indicates a Kp index near 7 to 8, a level often associated with widespread auroral displays across the Great Lakes region.
The aurora is produced when charged particles from the Sun collide with oxygen and nitrogen high in Earth’s atmosphere, creating glowing green and red light displays. This activity is being driven by a coronal mass ejection currently interacting with Earth’s magnetic field.
For viewers in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, auroras may appear as bright bands or curtains overhead, especially away from city lights. Across central and southern Michigan, including areas near Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Detroit, the lights may appear as a green or reddish glow low on the northern horizon, with visibility improving in darker rural locations.
The best chance to see the aurora is expected late tonight through the early morning hours, generally between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., weather and cloud cover permitting. Observers are encouraged to seek dark locations, face north, and allow time for eyes to adjust.
Auroras are harmless to people on the ground, though the same geomagnetic storm is prompting monitoring of satellites, GPS systems, and power infrastructure.
Auroral intensity may fluctuate overnight as geomagnetic conditions evolve
