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The aurora borealis over Wolf Lake in Cloquet State Forest, Minnesota, NOAA\u2019s Space Weather Prediction Center has forecast minor geomagnetic storm conditions for Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3, as Earth prepares for the anticipated arrival of a coronal mass ejection that left the sun on June 30. (Photo by Alex Kormann\/Star Tribune via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Star Tribune via Getty Images<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t predicted to be part of July\u2019s skywatching highlights<\/a>, but the northern lights<\/a> may be visible overnight from a few northern states along the U.S.-Canadian border on Wednesday, July 1 through Friday, July 3. An Earth-directed, full halo coronal mass ejection \u2014 a cloud of charged particles \u2014 left the sun late on June 30 in the wake of an X-class solar flare, with different models forecasting its arrival either early or late on July 2, according to SpaceWeather.com<\/a>. It could cause up to a G2 or even G3-class geomagnetic storm, which could mean aurora being seen on the northern horizon from U.S. states close to the border with Canada \u2014 most likely across parts of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and northern Wisconsin \u2014 but potentially much farther south in northern and lower Midwest states.<\/p>\n Long daylight hours in the wake of last week\u2019s solstice<\/a>, coupled with the light of the waning Strawberry Moon<\/a> in the south after midnight, may make aurora harder to see.<\/p>\n NOAA’s aurora viewline for Wednesday, July 1, 2026. <\/p>\n NOAANorthern Lights Tonight: What To Expect<\/p>\n A G2-rated geomagnetic storm is not a major aurora outbreak forecast, but KP 4 or KP5 conditions can sometimes bring visible northern lights to the far northern tier of the U.S., especially near the Canadian border.<\/p>\n If the skies are clear, aurora watchers should look north, avoid bright lights, and use long-exposure settings on their phones or cameras. Cameras often detect faint aurora before the human eye can see color clearly. <\/p>\n The nine states with the best chance include the northern parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine. It\u2019s also possible that aurora will be glimpsed from Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. If a G3 storm occurs, the aurora could potentially be seen in the northern parts of states farther south.<\/p>\n ForbesHow To Take Great Northern Lights Photos With A Phone \u2014 By An ExpertBy Jamie Carter<\/a>Aurora Alert: Incoming CME<\/p>\n 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. A “halo CME” is when two CMEs arrive in succession to cause a strong geomagnetic storm.<\/p>\n According to a forecast by space weather experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, \u201cAnalysis is ongoing to evaluate potential Earth impacts from the 30 June X1.1 CME, with preliminary tracking suggesting an arrival over 03-04 Jul.\u201d<\/p>\n A UK Met Office forecast slightly downplays the possibility of strong solar storms. \u201cGeomagnetic activity is expected to be Unsettled to Active at first due to ongoing effects from the 26 Jun CME arrival, with G1 Minor Storms intervals probable, and a lower risk of G2 Moderate storming,\u201d states the UK Met Office\u2019s Space Weather forecast<\/a>. \u201cA possible further CME arrival later on Day 1 (01 Jul) could see these effects enhanced and continue into Day 2 (02 Jul), although this is lower confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Space weather can change rapidly, with forecasts revised frequently.<\/p>\n Forbes7 Spectacular Stargazing Events To See This SummerBy Jamie Carter<\/a>Northern Lights Alert: Latest Updates<\/p>\n