Northern Lights Forecast October 2022: See the Northern Lights this Weekend - ThrillistSkip to main content Like Thrillist on Facebook.Follow Thrillist on Instagram.Follow Thrillist on Twitter.Follow Thrillist on Snapchat.Subscribe to Thrillist on YouTube.Follow Thrillist on TikTok.SUBSCRIBEGo to NavigationNewsStargazing

The Northern Lights May Be Visible Over North America This Weekend

Welcome spooky season with the northern lights

By Dustin NelsonPublished on 9/30/2022 at 11:25 AM George Leep/Corbis Documentary/Getty Images‌The northern lights are a nice way to kick off the spookiest month of the year, and there's a chance that you might be able to catch a glimpse of them right as the month opens. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has issued an alert that G2-level geomagnetic storms are forecast for the nights of September 30 and October 1. The forecast shows G1-to-G2-level storms from sunset on September 30 through the night of October 1. The northern lights can be unpredictable, but that projection indicates that there is a possibility of the aurora appearing as far south as northern US states this weekend. SpaceWeather.com says that the forecast is in response to two things. There is a "solar wind stream" heading toward Earth's magnetic field. There is also a coronal mass ejection (CME) that could potentially graze Earth. Though, as always, forecasts are not guarantees. It does, however, mean that the stars are aligning in your favor if you're itching to see those swirling colors. The SWPC shows the G2 alert with a Kp index of 6. At a slightly lower level, its maps show that it's possible to see the aurora as far south as northern Washington, Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine, as well as most of Canada. SpaceWeather.com highlights that during the last G2-class storm, the aurora was seen as far south as Missouri. StoryfulThe above video gives a sense of what the aurora borealis looks like over the US during a G1 watch. The video was shot in Graceville, Minnesota on September 26, 2020. These photos were taken during a G2 alert in northern Michigan in 2022. Under these circumstances, you might not have the brilliant ribbons of bright light you'll find in, say, Iceland or Sweden, but the display is still breathtaking.

How To See the Northern Lights

There are a lot of variables that have to come together for the aurora to appear. Nothing can guarantee the lights will show up on any given night. The current forecast has a minimum of a G1 geomagnetic storm in effect from sunset on September 30 into the start of the night on October 1 across North America. The SWPC increases that to a G2 from 11 pm ET on September 30 to 5 am on October 1. That stronger designation could mean that the aurora reaches further south at that point. It also has that level again from 2 to 5 pm ET on October 1. Though, the northern lights are not visible during daylight hours, so most of that time isn't really going to have an impact on your ability to hunt the aurora. Then from 5 pm ET on October 1 through 5 am on October 2, the SWPC lists a G1 alert. It's important to note, however, that the forecast can change and the presence of an alert does not guarantee that the aurora will make an appearance. There are resources worth checking before you head out to make sure you're giving yourself the best shot at catching the lights. A site like Aurorasaurus, the SWPC's 30-minute forecast, or resources like Space Weather Watch on Twitter are good places to keep an eye on for updates closer to real-time. The further north you are, the better your chance of seeing the display. An SWPC representative previously told Thrillist, "You need very clear skies, a good view of the northern horizon (no trees, buildings, or hills), and it needs to be dark." You want that view of the northern horizon because, as far south as the US, the aurora can appear low along the northern horizon. Additionally, you need to get away from light pollution, under dark skies to see the northern lights. You aren't likely to see much if you're in any city. This Light Pollution Map or the Dark Site Finder may help you locate an area with dark skies near you. (There are plenty of excellent stargazing locations close to big cities.) To check the northern lights off your bucket list, you need patience. If the northern lights aren't there at a given moment, that does not mean they won't appear soon. Likewise, if it's there in the moment, that doesn't mean it'll be around all night. You'll only find the northern lights creeping down as far south as the US occasionally. It does happen, but it's still worth taking the opportunity to get out there and see them when they do appear.

Ready to go stargazing

Here are all the best stargazing events that you can get out and see this month or you could stay in a stream the northern lights from home. If you're just getting started, check out our guide to astronomy for beginners or easy stargazing road trips from big US cities. Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.Dustin Nelson is a Senior Staff Writer at Thrillist. Follow Dustin on Twitter. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.