Northern Lights Alert Upgraded: 20 States Could See Aurora Wednesday
By Jamie Carter
Published on March 17, 2026.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has upgraded a geomagnetic storm watch for up to 20 U.S. states and Canada on Wednesday, March 18, through Thursday, March 19. The warning comes as Earth's geomagnitude is expected to become unsettled due to an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection, which is forecasted to arrive just hours before the northern vernal equinox on March 20. NOAA also predicts unsettled conditions through March 24, 26-28 and 30. The best chance of seeing aurora is in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine. The precise timing of space weather depends on the speed of the solar wind.
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