Northern Lights May Be Visible Over MI Tuesday: What To Know

Michiganders across the state may be able to see the northern lights Tuesday night, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) forecast.

The agency's viewing line shows Michiganders as far south as Lansing may get a chance to see the dazzling display.

The National Weather Service is calling for mostly clear skies over Michigan Tuesday night, providing a spectacular chance to see the lights.

Experts suggest heading to a dark area under open and clear skies to see the aurora. The Headlands International in Mackinaw City, Keweenaw in Cooper Harbor and Dr. T.K. Lawless in Jones are popular spots.

NOAA expects a G1 geomagnetic storm, which is a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s atmosphere. When those particles collide with the Earth’s atmosphere, they create the northern lights, or aurora borealis.

They believe the storm will produce a Kp index of 5. They use the Kp to determine the intensity of the storm. It is judged on a grading scale from zero to 9. An index of 5 or greater typically means the northern lights may be visible across Michigan.

In addition to Michigan, other states that may see the lights include Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.