Northern Lights may become visible in Wisconsin this week. What to know about the aurora borealis forecast.

If you’ve been checking the space weather forecasts ever since dazzling display of Northern Lights across the country in May, you might be in luck this week.

The aurora borealis could become visible across the northern states this week, including the upper Midwest, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. Here’s everything we know about when the Northern Lights might become visible and if you can catch them from Wisconsin.

Northern Lights: What is the forecast for the aurora borealis?

SWPC issued the storm watch as a result of a solar flare on July 28, which led to four “coronal mass ejections” heading toward Earth. According to NASA, coronal mass ejections are “huge bubbles of coronal plasma threaded by intense magnetic field lines that are ejected from the sun over the course of several hours.” 

If and when a CME arrives at Earth, it can cause a geomagnetic storm, which is how we can see the Northern Lights. SWPC says “several CMEs will likely reach Earth and lead to increased geomagnetic activity” in the next few days.

The light display in May was triggered by at least seven coronal mass ejections, leading to a “G4,” or severe, geomagnetic storm watch. This week, there is a G3, or “strong,” watch for Tuesday and a G2 watch for Wednesday and Thursday.

What time might you see the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights have historically become visible in the evening between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. SWPC has issued the strongest storm watch for Tuesday, but your best bet to catch the lights this week will likely be between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 2 a.m. Wednesday.

Though there is a weaker storm watch in effect for Wednesday and Thursday, don’t count those days out yet. Space weather predictions are subject to change, and you can keep an eye on the latest forecasts through the SWPC website.

Will the Northern Lights be visible from Wisconsin this week?

If the conditions are right, the Northern Lights could become visible from the northeastern states to the upper Midwest to northern Oregon, according to SWPC.

The forecast did not specify which states would be most likely to see the lights, but Wisconsin does fall within the upper Midwest. Northern Wisconsinites might want to especially keep an eye on the skies tonight, since Michigan’s bordering Upper Peninsula has often been an aurora borealis viewing point.