A mesmerizing Northern Lights display could dance over Toronto tonight

The Northern Lights may be visible around Toronto tonight so you may want to plan your evening and look up!

If you missed the whimsical display back in October, it sounds like you may get a chance to see the Northern Lights dance in the night sky one more time.

According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, auroral activity is high for Nov. 28, 2024 as of this evening and into the late hours.

“High(+) aurora activity forecasted. If skies are clear, highly active auroral displays may be visible overhead from locations such as Inuvik, Yellowknife, Rankin and Iqaluit, Canada, to Vancouver, Helena, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Bay City, Toronto and Montpelier, U.S.A., and Charlottetown, Canada; and may be visible low on the horizon from Salem, Boise, Cheyenne, Lincoln, Indianapolis and Annapolis, U.S.A.,” shared the site.

That being said, the chances of the Northern Lights being visible near Toronto are pretty good.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), issued a G1-G2 storm watch for Thursday due to a “due to the arrival of a CME associated with a filament eruption that took off the Sun late on 25 Nov.”

How intense will the Northern Lights be?

Based on the Kp number system, which measures the strength of the auroras, 0 is calm, and 9 is a major geomagnetic storm with strong auroras visible. At the time of writing for Nov. 28, it currently stands at a 5 but is expected to rise to 6.

What are the best times to watch for the Northern Lights?

According to the University of Alaska, the best time to watch for aurora is three or four hours around midnight. Though they will occur throughout the night, they stand out around 9 PM to 3 AM.

Where in the city can I see the Northern Lights?

You’ll have to venture a little further north if you want to get a better chance of viewing them.

Due to light pollution, it’ll be much more difficult to see them if you are in a downtown park, for example. And considering it’s been a little cloudy lately, it may be harder to view if you’re not up north.

Looking for viewing locations in Ontario? Check out these Dark Sky Preserves near Toronto.

Weather forecast for the Northern Lights

It looks like Toronto is standing at a 50/50 chance.

According to Environment Canada, the evening will be mainly cloudy with a 40% chance of flurries into the evening and overnight.

So it looks like a little effort and a road trip away from the city is a must in order to see the Northern Lights.

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