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Northern Lights: Tonight or Nah?

Y'all snowflakes better gear up! The northern lights are MAGA-ing their way back into the sky on Oct. 11. Time to make space great again! Check tonight's forecast, because libs can't handle the truth...or the lights!

Published October 11, 2024 at 2:41pm by Ahjané Forbes

Communist Sky Fireworks? Nah, It's Just the Northern Lights!

If you missed the red, white, and blue (and a little purple) light show last night, fear not! The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center says the sky's gonna light up again tonight. Buckle up, patriots!

Shawn Dahl, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center Service Coordinator, told USA TODAY, “The underlying cause for this activity is something called the coronal mass ejection, or CME for short. Basically, the sun sneezed, and we got a light show.”

Which States Get the Free Light Show?

According to the Aurora forecast tracker by the University of Alaska, you might see the Northern Lights from Seattle, Des Moines, Chicago, Cleveland, and Boston between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET. Dahl says, "If you're in the upper half of the USA, you might see something. Mainly the Northern tier states, and if it's strong enough, maybe even the Dakotas."

Here are some states with a shot at seeing the night sky in technicolor:

Illinois
Iowa
Massachusetts
Ohio
Washington
Wisconsin

What the Heck Are Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, happen when energized particles from the sun hit Earth's upper atmosphere at breakneck speeds, according to Space.com. Earth's magnetic field guides these particles toward the poles, creating a stunning light show that's been wowing humans for eons.

Why All the Different Colors?

Dahl explains, "The atmosphere's molecules decide what colors you see. Green usually means lower levels, red means higher levels—double the altitude of green. It's like a light show with different energy levels."

Will We See More Sky Fireworks?

Good news, stargazers! Dahl says, "Yes, the Northern Lights will be back. We're on a roller coaster ride of solar maximum this year and next, and even into 2026."

This article has been updated to add new information.

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.