Chicago, IL – Midwestern residents could get another rare look at the Northern Lights tonight, as the ongoing solar storm continues to produce auroras visible well south of Canada. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center reports that a G3–G4-level geomagnetic storm is still active, offering the potential for auroral activity across Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service expect mostly clear skies across much of the upper Midwest through this evening, though some areas in the Great Lakes region may see increasing cloud cover late tonight. The best time for viewing will be after sunset until around midnight, facing north and away from major city lights.
The same storm that produced vivid auroras from Texas to Maine earlier this week remains strong, and with calm weather settling across the Midwest, conditions are ideal for stargazers.
Residents across rural northern Illinois, eastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Lower Peninsula will have the best visibility chances before clouds arrive from the west overnight.
Temperatures tonight will drop into the 30s and 40s, with highs warming into the 60s and 70s by the weekend under a prolonged dry stretch.
If skies stay clear, tonight could bring another breathtaking aurora display across the heart of the country — a rare treat for Midwest skywatchers.
