Northern Lights May Shine Once Again Over Central New York

Have you missed the Northern Lights when they have shined over Central New York? You might get another chance to see them tonight.

The Space Weather Prediction Center is predicting that Tuesday and Wednesday nights, it may be possible to see the Northern Lights as South as Central New York:

This is a prediction of the intensity and location of the aurora borealis tonight and tomorrow night over North America. It also shows a 'viewline' that represents the southern-most locations from which you may see the aurora on the northern horizon. This product is based on the OVATION model and uses the maximum forecast geomagnetic activity (Kp) between 6pm and 6am US Central Time."

So good news, will we actually see it though?

So far in 2025, we had a chance to see the lights in February, earlier in March, and on New Year's Eve.

What Does The Weather Look Like?

WKTV meteorologist Bill Kardas on Facebook reports the trick for us in Central New York will be cloud coverage:

"The northern US states look to have the best chance of seeing them. We've noticed that many folks, with the right cameras, can capture them low on the horizon. Having the ability to take night photos with a good camera helps draw out the colors. Unfortunately, cloud cover will be tricky for Central New York, but there could be some breaks."

 

READ MORE: NY Photographer Captures Northern Lights in Dazzling Time-Lapse Video

What Makes Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights are caused by the interaction between the sun’s solar winds and the Earth’s magnetic field. The best time to view the lights is usually within an hour or two of midnight. So, sometime between 10 PM and 2 AM.

The Space Weather Prediction Center suggests finding a dark place away from city lights to see the prism of floating color.