Northern lights forecast: Solar storm could bring Aurora to 11 US states Thursday

Northern lights are going to light up U.S. skies due to a significant solar storm on Thursday, February 5, 2026.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a geomagnetic storm watch, forecasting a likely G-1 class storm as a coronal mass ejection (CME) grazes Earth’s magnetic field.

X8.3 solar flare has launched this CME, which is considered the strongest of 2026. The solar flare originated from the highly active sunspot region AR4366.

Considering a strong flare, space weather forecasters warn that interaction could be potent.

NOAA reported that the northern lights will be visible on the northern horizon in 11 states, including:

• Alaska
• Washington
• Idaho
• Montana
• Wyoming
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• Michigan
• Maine

In case of a direct hit, northern lights will be visible even in far southern regions. The Thursday night sky is ideal for watching northern lights, as the moon will not rise until midnight.

The more frequent aurora activity in the past months is due to the ongoing solar maximum. Sola maximum is a peak in the sun’s 11-year cycle expected to last through 2026