{"id":730456,"date":"2026-06-11T21:27:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T21:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/730456\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T21:27:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T21:27:10","slug":"strong-northern-lights-alert-this-weekend-25-states-may-see-aurora","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/730456\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Strong\u2019 Northern Lights Alert This Weekend: 25 States May See Aurora"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" top-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781213230_787_0x0.jpg\" alt=\"GERMANY-NATURE-WEATHER-AURORA-BOREALIS\" data-height=\"1099\" data-width=\"1728\" fetchpriority=\"high\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The northern lights may be visible overnight from 25 U.S. states on Saturday, June 13, into Sunday, June 14, after a coronal mass ejection left the sun Thursday. (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/04\/upgraded-severe-northern-lights-alert-for-23-states-thursday\/\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/04\/upgraded-severe-northern-lights-alert-for-23-states-thursday\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"northern lights\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">northern lights<\/a> may be visible from up to 25 northern U.S. states overnight on Saturday, June 13, into Sunday, June 14, after a coronal mass ejection was detected leaving the sun on June 11. Here\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/04\/how-i-photograph-the-northern-lights-with-my-phone---by-an-expert\/\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/04\/how-i-photograph-the-northern-lights-with-my-phone---by-an-expert\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"how to photograph the northern lights using a phone\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">how to photograph the northern lights using a phone<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">A CME is a cloud of charged particles often created by solar flares. Unlike solar flares, which travel at light speed, CMEs move at up to 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers) per second and take a few days to travel across the solar system. If they are Earth-directed, they can produce geomagnetic storms and auroras. One is expected to glance Earth on June 13-14. <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Meanwhile, Spaceweather.com is <a class=\"color-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spaceweather.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-ga-track=\"ExternalLink:https:\/\/www.spaceweather.com\/\" aria-label=\"reporting\">reporting<\/a> that a CME could arrive in the early hours of Saturday, June 13. <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The chance of aurora comes as <a class=\"color-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/09\/see-venus-and-jupiter-kiss-after-sunset-tonight---where-to-look\/\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/09\/see-venus-and-jupiter-kiss-after-sunset-tonight---where-to-look\/\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"Venus and Jupiter continue a spectacular conjunction\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Venus and Jupiter continue a spectacular conjunction<\/a> in the western sky after sunset. <\/p>\n<p><a class=\"embed-base color-body color-body-border link-embed embed-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/04\/how-i-photograph-the-northern-lights-with-my-phone---by-an-expert\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"How I Photograph The Northern Lights With My Phone \u2014 By An Expert\" data-ga-track=\"forbesEmbedly:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/04\/how-i-photograph-the-northern-lights-with-my-phone---by-an-expert\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ForbesHow I Photograph The Northern Lights With My Phone \u2014 By An ExpertBy Jamie Carter<\/a>Northern Lights Forecast: Space Weather Forecasts<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">NOAA\u2019s Space Weather Prediction Center has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swpc.noaa.gov\/products\/3-day-forecast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-ga-track=\"ExternalLink:https:\/\/www.swpc.noaa.gov\/products\/3-day-forecast\" aria-label=\"warned\">warned<\/a> that a G1-class geomagnetic storm is possible. \u201cActive to G1 (Minor) storming levels are anticipated on 13 June due to the persistence of the high-speed stream and the arrival of glancing CME influences,\u201d stated the agency in a forecast. <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The UK\u2019s Met Office upped the stakes, <a class=\"color-link\" href=\"https:\/\/weather.metoffice.gov.uk\/specialist-forecasts\/space-weather#:~:text=Four%2DDay%20Space%20Weather%20Forecast,of%20an%20isolated%20Strong%20flare.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-ga-track=\"ExternalLink:https:\/\/weather.metoffice.gov.uk\/specialist-forecasts\/space-weather#:~:text=Four%2DDay%20Space%20Weather%20Forecast,of%20an%20isolated%20Strong%20flare.\" aria-label=\"suggesting\">suggesting<\/a> that, \u201cThe chance of G1\/ Minor Storm activity persists into day 3 (13 Jun), with an additional slight chance of isolated G2-G3\/Moderate-Strong Storms from any significant glancing CME impact.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Space weather can change rapidly, with forecasts revised frequently.<\/p>\n<p>Northern Lights Alert: Where And When<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">A G1-class geomagnetic storm could see aurora visible on the northern horizon from around 10 northern U.S. states and Canada overnight on Saturday, June 13, into Sunday, June 14. U.S. states with the best chance include the northern parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">If a G2-class geomagnetic storm erupts, aurora may be viewable from states farther south, such as Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">If G3 storming commences, those under very dark skies in Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland may also see aurora.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">An easy way to see what may soon become visible in North America is to check <a href=\"https:\/\/gll.soundestlink.com\/ce\/c\/67fe77210e575c601af47413\/6912d1bd4cb61d4f14f61145\/6912d1db0187a7d3b9847f75?signature=3d97ebedad8b65a8d2b2da2d747ae6022060f1997fba9033a17a3656ee2b0f12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-ga-track=\"ExternalLink:https:\/\/gll.soundestlink.com\/ce\/c\/67fe77210e575c601af47413\/6912d1bd4cb61d4f14f61145\/6912d1db0187a7d3b9847f75?signature=3d97ebedad8b65a8d2b2da2d747ae6022060f1997fba9033a17a3656ee2b0f12\" aria-label=\"aurora webcams around the world\">aurora webcams around the world<\/a> as darkness falls. <\/p>\n<p><a class=\"embed-base color-body color-body-border link-embed embed-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/02\/when-is-summer-solstice-the-longest-day-of-the-year-and-what-it-means\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"When Is Summer Solstice? The Longest Day Of The Year And What It Means\" data-ga-track=\"forbesEmbedly:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/02\/when-is-summer-solstice-the-longest-day-of-the-year-and-what-it-means\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ForbesWhen Is Summer Solstice? The Longest Day Of The Year And What It MeansBy Jamie Carter<\/a>Aurora Forecast: Moon Phase And Solstice<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">In the lead-up to the <a class=\"color-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/?sh=13680aef1404\" data-ga-track=\"InternalLink:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/?sh=13680aef1404\" target=\"_self\" aria-label=\"June solstice\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">June solstice<\/a>, nights become very short, with twilight persisting for much of the night in northern U.S. states and much of Canada. That limits darkness and makes the aurora more difficult to see. <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">However, the moon phase is perfect: a new moon on Sunday, June 14, will leave the night sky free of moonlight.<\/p>\n<p>Aurora Alert: Coronal Mass Ejections<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The northern lights are caused by the solar wind, a constant stream of charged particles flowing from the sun that interacts with Earth\u2019s magnetic field. The solar wind becomes super-charged by a CME. <\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Exactly when a CME will arrive is always uncertain. When it does, charged particles accelerate down the field lines of Earth\u2019s magnetic field. They collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms high in the atmosphere, exciting the gases and causing them to release energy as shimmering light. An oval of green and red appears around Earth\u2019s poles. If the geomagnetic storm is strong enough, it can stretch down to mid-latitudes.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"embed-base color-body color-body-border link-embed embed-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/11\/inside-spacexs-orbital-economy-ai-data-centers-and-wireless-power\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Inside SpaceX\u2019s Orbital Economy: AI Data Centers And Wireless Power\" data-ga-track=\"forbesEmbedly:https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiecartereurope\/2026\/06\/11\/inside-spacexs-orbital-economy-ai-data-centers-and-wireless-power\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ForbesInside SpaceX\u2019s Orbital Economy: AI Data Centers And Wireless PowerBy Jamie Carter<\/a>Northern Lights Tonight: Latest Updates<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">To check visibility in real time, use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swpc.noaa.gov\/products\/aurora-30-minute-forecast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-ga-track=\"ExternalLink:https:\/\/www.swpc.noaa.gov\/products\/aurora-30-minute-forecast\" aria-label=\"NOAA\u2019s 30-minute aurora forecast\">NOAA\u2019s 30-minute aurora forecast<\/a> or download apps such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast or Glendale Aurora for up-to-the-minute alerts and live solar wind data.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Whether aurora displays materializes largely depends on the interplanetary magnetic field, specifically its Bz component (you\u2019ll find it in some of the above apps and on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spaceweatherlive.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-ga-track=\"ExternalLink:https:\/\/www.spaceweatherlive.com\/\" aria-label=\"SpaceWeatherLive.com\">SpaceWeatherLive.com<\/a>). Bz determines how easily solar energy enters Earth\u2019s magnetosphere. When Bz points north, Earth\u2019s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in. A sustained southward Bz of \u22125 nT or stronger usually signals an imminent display of aurora.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The northern lights may be visible overnight from 25 U.S. states on Saturday, June 13, into Sunday, June&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":730457,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[64,59208,1330,47044,59209,63,75,1328,59206,47043,59207,128,182117],"class_list":["post-730456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-au","tag-aurora-alert","tag-aurora-borealis","tag-aurora-forecast","tag-aurora-tonight","tag-australia","tag-environment","tag-northern-lights","tag-northern-lights-alert","tag-northern-lights-forecast","tag-northern-lights-tonight","tag-science","tag-when-to-see-northern-lights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/730456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=730456"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/730456\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/730457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=730456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=730456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=730456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}