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If You Live in Oregon, You May Get a Chance to See the Northern Lights Wednesday Night
NOAA raised the storm watch to strong due to a coronal mass ejection, increasing chances for aurora visibility as far south as Illinois, New England, and Oregon.
- On March 18, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center upgraded a geomagnetic storm watch to possible G3, warning auroras may be viewable late-night March 18 into March 19.
- The Sun fired a coronal mass ejection on Monday , with plasma and magnetic fields interacting more due to the Russell-McPherron/equinox effect boosting geomagnetic storms.
- About 19 states may see the aurora on March 18–19, with displays possibly reaching Illinois and Oregon; best viewing is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, and smartphone cameras may reveal details unseen by the naked eye.
- Power grid and communications operators could face stress, but forecasting remains uncertain until space weather satellites about 1 million miles from Earth measure incoming plasma, NOAA forecasters said.
- Peak solar activity through the second half of 2026 suggests continued aurora chances, and a new Moon on March 19, 2026 will darken skies, improving visibility depending on weather and cloud cover.
Insights by Ground AI
15 Articles
15 Articles
There is a moderate probability of observing the northern aurora in New England between the night of March 18 and the early morning of the 19th, with possible sightings that could extend until Thursday.The phenomenon is associated with a coronal mass—an intense release of solar energy—caused by a flare recorded at the beginning of the week.According to the Space Climate Prediction Center, a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm is expected, with the p…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources15
Leaning Left3Leaning Right0Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution77% Center
Bias Distribution
- 77% of the sources are Center
77% Center
L 23%
C 77%
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