![\"Anchorage](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1759250409_816_960x0.jpg\")
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Kp5 and above intensity northern lights (aurora borealis) appear in the sky over autumn trees as it lit up the sky in shades of green in Anchorage, Alaska, United States on September 29, 2025. This natural phenomenon was observed by locals, photographers and tourists. (Photo by Hasan Akbas\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Anadolu via Getty Images<\/p>\n
A strong display of the Northern Lights<\/a> was suddenly visible last night across northern U.S. states despite not being predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\u2019s Space Weather Prediction Center<\/a>. <\/p>\n According to Spaceweather.com<\/a>, the Kp index \u2014 which provides a rough guide to the intensity of aurora displays \u2014 reached Kp 7.33 after an unforecasted G3-rated geomagnetic storm on Sept. 29. <\/p>\n The cause is last weekend\u2019s fall equinox<\/a>, and it means that any forecasts of geomagnetic activity over the next few weeks should be taken seriously \u2014 and aurora-hunters should be on red alert at all times. <\/p>\n ForbesNorthern Lights Alert As \u2018Autumn Star\u2019 Shines: The Night Sky This WeekBy Jamie Carter<\/a>Last Night\u2019s Spectacular Northern Lights Display<\/p>\n \u201cI saw so many different colors! Reds, purples, greens, and even blue aurora! At times it felt like we were flying right inside of the Aurora. What an amazing site to see from my office,\u201d wrote<\/a> by Matt Melnyk, a pilot on a Dreamliner traveling from Calgary to Dublin Ireland, on Spaceweather.com. He was flying over Hudson Bay in Canada, where strong auroras were also seen last week (see images below). <\/p>\n If geomagnetic activity continues through darkness in North America, then up to 11 U.S. states may see aurora on the northern horizon. Much stronger showings are also possible, despite NOAA\u2019s three-day forecast<\/a> suggesting less intense conditions. <\/p>\n The Northern Lights occur when charged particles from the sun accelerate down Earth\u2019s magnetic field lines and collide with molecules high in Earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n NOAA’s aurora viewline for Sept. 30, 2025. <\/p>\n NOAAWhere The Northern Lights May Be Visible<\/p>\n NOAA\u2019s latest aurora viewlines<\/a> indicate that aurora displays are a possibility in northern U.S. states and Canada, with 11 U.S. states having a chance after dark on Tuesday, Sept. 30.<\/p>\n U.S. states that may see aurora include Alaska and (northerly parts of) Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and Maine. Areas far from light pollution are likely to offer the best views. <\/p>\n Check NOAA\u2019s 30-minute forecast<\/a> or use the Glendale Aurora and My Aurora Forecast apps. <\/p>\n ForbesNorthern Lights Alert: Why Aurora Could Now Suddenly SpikeBy Jamie Carter<\/a><\/p>\n The aurora borealis as photographed by the author, Jamie Carter, from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada on Sept. 30, 2025.<\/p>\n Jamie Carter Why The Northern Lights Are Getting Stronger<\/p>\n The possibility of displays of the aurora borealis at more southerly latitudes than is typical is not only down to an increase in solar activity due to the current solar maximum period<\/a>, but also the Sept. 22\u2019s southward equinox. <\/p>\n