Northern Lights Visible Across 22 U.S. States Tonight Due to Strong Geomagnetic Storm

A G3-class geomagnetic storm, driven by a coronal mass ejection, is creating rare aurora displays as far south as Oregon, Nebraska, and Indiana.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts a strong G3-class geomagnetic storm tonight, with a Kp index of 7, enabling widespread aurora visibility.
The northern lights are expected to be visible in 22 U.S. states, including Alaska, northern border states, and regions as far south as Oregon, Nebraska, and Indiana.
The storm is caused by a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, which is expected to reach Earth early on March 23, sustaining aurora activity into the weekend.
Visibility is enhanced by the equinox's Russell-McPherron effect, which temporarily aligns Earth's magnetic field with solar wind, increasing geomagnetic storm intensity.
Optimal viewing conditions include dark skies, minimal light pollution, and timing between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, with NOAA providing real-time updates via its aurora dashboard.