The northern lights will be visible tonight, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in New Jersey and NYC as the aurora borealis lights are expected to dazzle the night sky after a colorful display last night, according to NOAA’s Aurora Borealis forecast. And if you want to see the northern lights tonight, you’ll need to grab your cell phone.
A rare severe geomagnetic solar storm of G4 or higher is expected mid-day today, which will emit solar particles tonight in the K-index of 7 or greater — providing an even better view of the northern lights tonight in NJ than last night, per an alert from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. In the past few days, the sun has released coronal mass ejections, or bursts of energy, which has triggered a storm alert by forecasters as the aurora borealis
According to NOAA, the Kp-index scale measures the strength of geomagnetic storms; tonight’s aurora borealis forecast is expected to be Kp 7 or stronger, on a scale that tops out at 9, meaning a bright and active aurora that dips into southern states. NOAA warned of a G4 or higher storm, considered “severe,” which could disrupt power and navigation systems, while also producing a gorgeous array of lights near you.
Want to know where to see the northern lights tonight? What time the lights will appear, and how to view them? Here’s what to know.
Can I see the northern lights tonight near me? See Aurora Borealis forecast
Are the northern lights visible tonight near me? Yes, if you live in 18 states, including New Jersey, New York (and New York City) and Pennsylvania.
While the northern lights visibility depends on how far south it’ll extend, NOAA Space Prediction Center forecasters expect a G4 “severe” storm with a Kp index of 7 or greater, meaning a rare opportunity to view the aurora borealis lights tonight in NJ.
What time can I see the northern lights tonight?
The northern lights will be visible tonight generally after sunset or just before sunrise. You cannot view the aurora borealis during the day. The best view of the northern lights is generally within an hour or two of midnight, NOAA said.
But what could be a bright and colorful moment could fade quickly; predicting timing is difficult since experts have to monitor the strength and orientations of the magnetic energy NOAA says. Check out this video posted on X from NOAA describing the current geomagnetic storm:
Northern lights tonight map
The northern lights will be visible across most of New Jersey tonight (some parts of Cape May County may miss it slightly, depending on severity). NOAA’s Aurora Forecast map produces real-time updates every 30 minutes. See the map here. NorthernLightsMap.com provides a live interactive map and SeeTheAurora.com provides webcams of the northern lights live across the country, including the U.S., Norway, Finland, Greenland and Russia, where they are quite vibrant.
As for the view line, these states will likely catch a glimpse should the KP-index scale reach Kp 7 or greater, including partial, some or all of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
How far south can the aurora be seen?
What is the aurora borealis? What causes the northern lights?
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are the result of electrically charged particles from the Sun and gases in Earth’s outer atmosphere known for creating ribbons of colorful light in the night sky, often shades of green, red or purple.
The sun is currently at its maximum height of the 11-year solar cycle, which triggers electromagnetic activity, according to NASA. While we see the famous display as a striking sight, these solar eruptions bring potential impacts to power grids, satellite signals, radio communications, navigation and GPS, depending on their strength according to NOAA.
How to see the northern lights? Here’s some tips, cell phone settings
Typically, you can’t view the northern lights with the naked eye in New Jersey, so your best way to see the northern lights is through your cell phone.
Grab a coat, head outside and ensure your camera is on “night mode,” before pointing to the sky with a steady hand and shoot away! A tried-and-true method is to ensure your phone camera is on long-exposure mode (dark mode) and use a tripod and a timer to take the photo. Night mode tends to cause blurry photos if not taken with a steady hand.
Also consider where you are, particularly in NYC and city areas with light pollution. Check out a local park without artificial lights and be sure to check your local weather forecast. Clouds may just disrupt the entire show.
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Where to see the northern lights tonight near me? Time, map, tips