The Biggest Aurora of 2026 (So Far) Is Coming Tonight: Here’s How and Where to See It

January came in like a wrecking ball for sky watchers, opening the year with a sweet super moon and a big meteor shower. The ball keeps rolling, as the old saying goes, with what will likely be one of the best Northern Lights shows of the year. Monday evening’s storm is expected to be quite powerful and could cause the northern lights to extend as far south as Kansas.

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This is all due to a Class X coronal mass ejection that erupted from the sun on Sunday. It is heading straight towards Earth. The plasma and solar matter it contains will interact with Earth’s geomagnetic field, creating some lovely skylights for those of us here on earth. According to SpaceWeather, this particular CME erupted for almost 7 hours, which is much longer than usual. NOAA’s forecast shows the results as the geomagnetic storm continues uninterrupted with varying strengths throughout the night and day Tuesday.

Where will the auroras be visible Monday evening?

According to NOAA’s forecast dashboard, the aurora itself will head toward Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan and Maine. Alaska and Canada have the best views, as is the norm.

It should be at least visible in Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. People in these states will want to get to higher ground if possible and face north for the best view.

Geomagnetic storms are a lot like regular storms here on Earth in that forecasts can only take you so far. If the storm is a little stronger than expected, you can also add Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware to the list. It could go even further if the G4 storm upgrades to a G5 storm, so keep an eye on your local news Monday evening in case the NOAA forecast changes.

How to see the Northern Lights

Tips on how to see the Northern Lights can be broken down by region. If you’re in the states where the Northern Lights definitely occur, all you have to do is move away from the light pollution of urban and suburban areas and look up. The closer you get to the Canadian border, the stronger the Northern Lights will be. You won’t need any additional equipment to view it.

Those who aren’t in the first group but stay within the NOAA viewing line can still see the Northern Lights, but it will require a little extra work. You definitely want to get away from the city and suburbs because light pollution will hinder your ability to see it. Once outside of town, find the highest spot possible and face north. Depending on the strength of the storm, you should be able to see the auroras in the northern sky.

The good news is that the new moon was on Sunday, so there will be virtually no light pollution from the moon. If the sky is clear and dark in an area, your chances of seeing an aurora will be quite high. If you decide to brave the cold to observe the Northern Lights, stay an eye on Jupiter. It will be the brightest thing in the sky not called the moon, and if you have a telescope, you can get an excellent view of the planet and its rings right now.