Northern lights expected to be visible across Canada tonight. Here’s how to see them

The northern lights shine above the boreal forest outside Fort McMurray on November 12, 2025. Photo by Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network

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Canadians across the country are in with a chance of seeing the northern lights tonight.

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G3 is NOAA’s classification for a “strong” geomagnetic storm. In the event of such storms, “Intermittent satellite navigation and low-frequency radio navigation problems may occur, HF radio may be intermittent, and aurora has been seen as low as Illinois and Oregon,” NOAA says.

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The event is driven by solar activity, in this case a solar flare that occurred on Wednesday, directing three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — which are eruptions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun — towards Earth.

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These particles interfere with Earth’s magnetic field, triggering the colourful light display known as the aurora borealis, or the northern lights.

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When can you see the northern lights tonight?

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NOAA’s current forecast predicts CME arrival around mid-afternoon EDT on June 4. “CME passage would likely continue into the evening and possibly overnight hours of June 5,” the agency added.

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However, there remains some uncertainty around timing, and NOAA notes that outliers show arrival six to eight hours earlier, while others suggest it could arrive up to eight hours later.

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If CME arrival is too early, much of the activity can occur before dark, meaning there is less chance of seeing the northern lights. In addition, late spring is not always the best time to view the lights, because of the later sunsets and fewer hours of darkness.

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The best way to keep up to date with the latest timing predictions is to keep checking the Space Weather Prediction Centre.

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Where can you see the northern lights tonight?

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Strong geomagnetic storms can push auroral activity into the northern U.S., meaning there’s a chance of catching the northern lights across much of Canada.

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NOAA said of the current storm watch: “The aurora may be visible over many of the northern (U.S.) states and some of the lower Midwest to Oregon.”

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It added: “The general public should consider monitoring our page for the latest information and updates.

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While the northern lights may be visible across Canada, the best viewing conditions will be in Eastern Canada, because skies are expected to be largely clear overnight on Thursday.

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On the West Coast and in the Prairies there will be more cloud cover, so viewing opportunities will be more limited.

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For the best chance of seeing the lights, stargazers should head away from areas with significant light pollution, such as city centres and brightly lit neighbourhoods.

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And if the display appears faint, try using your smartphone camera. Phone cameras are often more sensitive to auroral light than the human eye and can reveal colours and details that may otherwise be difficult to see.