Could You See the Northern Lights Over Montana Tonight?

Imagine stepping outside tonight, looking up into the dark Montana sky and maybe, just maybe, seeing faint wisps of green, red, or even blue dancing overhead. That’s not just wishful thinking.

Thanks to a “cannibal” solar storm, when one burst of solar material overtakes another, the conditions are just right for a rare aurora show across parts of the U.S., and Montana is on that lucky list.

A Powerful Solar Storm Is Fueling Tonight’s Aurora Display

What’s lighting up this story? It’s a coronal mass ejection (CME), a huge cloud of charged particles from the sun that hit Earth’s magnetic field. Tonight’s CME is particularly intense, think of it as a double dose of solar energy, and it could spark a strong geomagnetic storm, potentially reaching G3 or even G4 strength. That’s enough to push auroras well beyond their usual northern haunts.

READ MORE: Montana’s Most Beautiful Road Trip

Montana Among 18 States With Prime Aurora Viewing Hours Tonight

Montana is among 18 states where the aurora's glow might stretch into view tonight. The best window to see them? Between about 10 p.m. local time and 2 a.m.

How to Maximize Your Chances of Seeing Northern Lights Tonight

Here are a few tips to set yourself up for success:

• Head somewhere dark and rural. Montana's wide-open skies already help, but getting away from city lights will really let the colors pop.

• Face north with an unobstructed horizon. Auroras don’t need to be directly overhead; they can appear low in the sky.

• Be patient. Solar storms can flicker. Give the sky time to show its magic.

• Bring a camera. Digital sensors are sometimes better than your eyes at picking up faint glows, especially if the auroras are subtle.

Get our free mobile app

While nothing’s guaranteed with the Northern Lights, the ingredients are right: a potent solar storm, clear skies, and Montana’s famously dark and open horizons.