Northern lights could be visible across Canada this week, even in Toronto and Vancouver

The northern lights could be seen all over Canada this week.

That includes places that don’t usually get the aurora like Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal!

A new northern lights forecast from NOAA said the aurora could plunge south on Tuesday, July 22 and Wednesday, July 23.

That’s because coronal hole high-speed streams from the sun are expected to cause a geomagnetic storm.

You could see a “more intense” aurora in Prince George, Whitehorse, Edmonton, Jasper, Yellowknife, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Churchill, and Moosonee on Tuesday night.

The northern lights are expected to be less intense but still visible in Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Kelowna, Banff, Calgary, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Saguenay and more places on July 22.

NOAA’s forecast also has a view line to show how far south the aurora could be seen on the northern horizon.

Toronto, the GTA, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, Fredericton, Charlottetown and nearby areas are within the view line on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday night, you could spot a “more intense” aurora in Prince George, Edmonton, Jasper, Churchill, Whitehorse, Yellowknife, and more northern places.

The northern lights are forecast to be less intense but still visible in Kelowna, Calgary, Banff, Lethbridge, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Moosonee, and Timmins on July 23.

Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Sudbury, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and nearby areas are within the view line on Wednesday night.

That means you should be able to see the northern lights on the northern horizon in those places.

If you want to see the aurora this week, the Canadian Space Agency has northern lights viewing tips that can help you.

Usually, the northern lights appear a few hours after sunset and get more intense around midnight when the sky is darker.

You should find a place with little or no light pollution. If a less intense aurora is forecast in your area, even a bit of city light can block the view.

Once you find a place to see the aurora, look all around because the northern lights can appear anywhere in the sky.

But if you’re in a place that’s along the forecast’s view line, NOAA said the northern lights will only be visible toward the northern horizon. So, keep your eyes to the north in those areas.

You don’t need special equipment like a telescope to see the northern lights.

Love this? Check out our Narcity noticeboard for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!

This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.