![\"Northern](\"http:\/\/us.weatheramerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Northern-Lights-over-Montana-1707.jpg\")
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Aurora borealis expected over northern Montana, North Dakota and Michigan<\/strong><\/p>\n NEW YORK, Tuesday, July 17, 2025, 10:00 AM (EDT)<\/strong> \u2014 The northern lights<\/strong> could make a rare appearance again across parts of the northern United States<\/strong> tonight, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration<\/strong>. While no strong geomagnetic storm<\/strong> is anticipated, a mild aurora event<\/strong> is still likely, bringing visible lights to several states near the Canadian border<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n NOAA<\/strong> reports a Kp index<\/strong> of 3<\/strong> on a scale from 0 to 9, meaning conditions remain quiet<\/em> but still active enough to generate a visually dynamic aurora<\/strong>. Even without major solar wind features, the auroral activity<\/strong> tonight may still feature motion and structure<\/strong>, especially closer to midnight.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Where will the aurora be visible tonight?<\/strong><\/p>\n If cloud cover remains favorable, the aurora borealis<\/strong> could be visible across much of Canada<\/strong> and Alaska<\/strong>, stretching south into parts of the Upper Midwest<\/strong> and Great Plains<\/strong>. States with the highest likelihood<\/strong> of visibility include Montana<\/strong>, North Dakota<\/strong>, northern Minnesota<\/strong>, northern Wisconsin<\/strong>, and Michigan\u2019s Upper Peninsula<\/strong>. Some activity may also extend into the northernmost regions of Idaho<\/strong> and the northwestern tip of Washington<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When to watch the sky<\/strong><\/p>\n According to NOAA<\/strong>, the ideal time<\/strong> to catch the aurora is between 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM local time<\/strong>. During this period, the aurora<\/strong> is typically the brightest<\/strong> and most structured<\/strong>. It might begin earlier or continue later, but outside that core window, displays are usually less dramatic. Viewers hoping to spot the phenomenon should stay far from artificial lights<\/strong> and move closer to the magnetic pole<\/strong>, especially in rural or northern areas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why this week matters for stargazers<\/strong><\/p>\n Tonight\u2019s northern lights<\/strong> coincide with the start of one of the most anticipated<\/strong> celestial events of the summer: the Perseids meteor shower<\/strong>. While its peak activity<\/strong> is expected between August 12 and 13<\/strong>, the shower technically begins Thursday<\/strong>, and early meteors will be visible between July 17 and July 30<\/strong>. A recent full moon<\/strong> could make the peak nights more difficult to enjoy due to sky brightness, making early evenings like tonight<\/strong> particularly valuable for astronomy enthusiasts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Skies over northern Montana and the Upper Midwest<\/strong> could offer a stunning double feature<\/strong> tonight: a soft wave of auroral color<\/strong>, and the first falling meteors<\/strong> of the Perseids season<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Aurora borealis expected over northern Montana, North Dakota and Michigan NEW YORK, Tuesday, July 17, 2025, 10:00 AM (EDT) \u2014 The northern lights could make a rare appearance again across parts of the northern United States tonight, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While no strong geomagnetic storm is anticipated, a mild aurora […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":6141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n