Aurora Borealis

Better Chance to See Northern Lights in CT Tonight

NBC Universal, Inc.

There was a change in the forecast and there is a better chance tonight that people in parts of Connecticut could get the rare chance to see the Northern Lights tonight. It comes at a time when we will have clearer skies.

There was a change in the forecast late Wednesday, taking the better chance to see the Northern Lights from Wednesday night to tonight.

The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, are the result of electrons colliding with the Earth's atmosphere near the North Pole, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

Take a look at the sky in Finland as the Northern Lights put on a show. 

And NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has issued Geomagnetic Storm Watches through Friday after detecting a “coronal mass ejection,” or CME, on Dec. 7 associated with a solar flare.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland, Ohio Tweeted out about the buzz this has caused on social media and shared a map showing locations where the northern lights might be visible, which shows Connecticut on the southern cusp of possible visibility.  

Space Weather Prediction Center forecasters said they are fairly confident in CME arrival at Earth, but the timing and geomagnetic storm intensity are less certain.

Even during large geomagnetic storms, it can be difficult to see the Aurora Borealis in Connecticut because of the amount of light pollution here.

How to See Aurora Borealis in CT

For those who want to try and catch a glimpse, find a dark area away from street and city lights and look north. It could be visible between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., but it is difficult to predict.

If you do get a glimpse of the Northern Lights, we'd love to see your photos. You can share them by sending them to shareit@nbcconnecticut.com.

Contact Us