Overview
- NOAA says elevated geomagnetic activity tonight could push aurora visibility farther south than usual.
- Forecast view lines place potential sightings from Alaska and North Dakota to parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine.
- An X-class flare from sunspot AR4366 and a fast-moving CME prompted upgraded expectations for the Feb. 4–5 window.
- Satellites detected another powerful flare on Feb. 4, raising the chance of additional activity through the coming days.
- Best chances are after dark into early morning, especially 10 p.m.–2 a.m., with guidance to check NOAA’s real-time forecast and use dark sites, a northern horizon, and basic phone photography settings like Night/Pro mode, RAW and a tripod.