The northern lights were visible last night and created a dazzling show over parts of New England. The aurora could be seen clearly from the summit of Mount Washington during what’s been a days-long solar storm.

“The northern lights put on another beautiful display at the summit last night, thanks to a strong geomagnetic storm and little to no clouds around the summit,” the Mount Washington Observatory wrote in a social media post.

The northern lights put on another beautiful display at the summit last night, thanks to a strong geomagnetic storm and… Posted by Mount Washington Observatory on Tuesday, June 3, 2025

The region has been on notice for a potential northern lights show since May 30, when a coronal mass ejection erupted from the sun and the Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G4 (Severe) geomagnetic storm watch. It was predicted that the aurora could be seen over the northern half of the United States and even potentially as far south as Alabama.

There hadn’t been much to see in the northeast until Monday night. WBZ-TV chief meteorologist Eric Fisher noted that there was a “nice burst of aurora” that scored a 6 on the KP index, which is used to measure the magnitude of geomagnetic storms. Colors were visible after 11 p.m. from a live camera at Mount Katahdin in northern Maine.

We’ve got action in northern New England! Nice burst of #aurora with -Bz and Kp around 6 pic.twitter.com/BAXC441JYW — Eric Fisher (@ericfisher) June 3, 2025

Will the northern lights be visible tonight?

According to spaceweather.com, the G4 geomagnetic storm has subsided, but lesser storms are still underway and those in northern latitudes should “remain alert for auroras.”

While widespread sightings of the northern lights in New England are unlikely, there’s still a small chance that areas well to the north could see some activity.

What makes the northern lights visible?

The northern lights appear in the sky when the electrons ejected by the sun collide with various molecules in Earth’s atmosphere. The colors we see depend on the height and type of molecules that are hit.

An active solar cycle has made the northern lights more visible than usual in the past year. An expert told WBZ-TV that the ramped-up activity could continue into 2026.

Auroras may be seen from Alaska to Wyoming as Earth is buffeted by turbulent space weather.

The northern lights could put on a show June 13-14 as ongoing geomagnetic storm conditions driven by turbulent space weather may push aurora farther south than usual.

Earth is currently reverberating from a solar storm impact that occurred overnight on June 12-13, during which moderate G2 geomagnetic storm levels were reached. A co-rotating interaction region (CIR) — a turbulent region in the solar wind in which fast-moving streams collide with slower wind ahead of them — is also on the way, with the effects expected around June 14.

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has issued a moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm watch for June 14 due to the incoming solar wind from a large Earth-facing coronal hole. The U.K. Met Office echoes this forecast, predicting moderate (G2) geomagnetic storms on June 13-14, with activity expected to decline to unsettled levels by June 15-16.

What does this mean?

A G2 storm can shift the aurora oval — the ring-shaped zone where auroras typically form — farther south, allowing skywatchers across parts of the northern U.S. a chance to catch a glimpse of the elusive lights, weather and dark skies permitting. Geomagnetic storms are ranked using a G-scale, which ranges from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme).

States that could see auroras tonight

Aurora forecast for tonight courtesy of the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. (Image credit: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center)

Below, we have listed 18 states that appear either fully or in part above the possible view line for auroras tonight, according to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. They’re ordered from most likely to least likely based on their proximity to the center of the auroral oval and how much of each state is within or near the view line.

Keep in mind, auroras are fickle. Sometimes they show up much farther south than expected and other times they don’t appear at all. Many conditions have to align for the perfect display.

Alaska Montana North Dakota Minnesota Wisconsin Michigan South Dakota Maine Vermont New Hampshire Idaho Washington Oregon New York Massachusetts Connecticut Rhode Island Wyoming

Viewing conditions also depend on more than just geomagnetic activity. Cloud cover, light pollution, and the brief summer night can all affect visibility.

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Northern Hemisphere aurora forecast courtesy of the Met Office

How can I see the northern lights from where I live?

If you find yourself in one of the 18 states listed above (or simply want to try your luck) head to a dark, north-facing spot away from city lights. As we approach the summer solstice on June 20/21, nights are growing shorter, so your best window for viewing may be in the early morning hours, around 1 to 2 a.m.

Interested in tracking space weather and knowing when and where to spot auroras? Download a space weather app that provides forecasts based on your location. One option I use is “My Aurora Forecast & Alerts,” available for both iOS and Android. However, any similar app should work well. I also use the “Space Weather Live” app, which is available on iOS and Android, to get a deeper understanding of whether the current space weather conditions are favorable for aurora sightings.

Editor’s note: If you snap a great picture of the northern or southern lights and would like to share it with Space.com’s readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.