In Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, a rare spectacle of the northern lights peeking through the clouds was captured by Mark Thiessen of AP. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted that several states in the northern U.S. may have the opportunity to witness the northern lights on Saturday, as geomagnetic storm conditions are anticipated to affect Earth’s magnetic field.
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a watch for a G2 storm, the second-lowest rating on a scale from G1 to G5, for Saturday starting from 3:32 p.m. EDT and continuing until late Saturday evening at 10 p.m. EDT, covering areas ranging from New York to Wisconsin to Washington state. Additionally, a G1 storm watch has been issued for regions including northern Michigan and Maine for Saturday afternoon through the evening.
On Friday night, the mesmerizing aurora borealis was visible in various states such as Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, among others, across the U.S. The aurora borealis, caused by molecular collisions in Earth’s upper atmosphere releasing bursts of energy in the form of visible light, is a stunning natural phenomenon.
In May 2024, NOAA recorded its strongest rating in years with a G5 during severe-extreme geomagnetic storm conditions, allowing millions of people in the U.S., Canada, Europe, China, and beyond to witness the enchanting glow of the northern lights.
