Julia Gomez said Minnesota could get a glimpse of the northern lights over the next couple of nights, with an aurora forecast pointing to Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 8 and 9. NOAA put seven states on a low-chance list for those two nights, while Alaska and most of Canada were assigned a higher likelihood of seeing the aurora borealis.
People in Minnesota and other states near the U.S.-Canadian border are the ones most likely to be watching the sky, but the forecast is not the same as a guarantee. Weather still controls whether the lights can be seen from the ground, and the best chances come in dark areas away from light pollution.
NOAA's Tuesday and Wednesday outlook
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center is the guide behind the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 8 and 9. In that window, seven states had a low chance of seeing the northern lights, and Northern Alaska had a high chance. The split leaves Minnesota in a narrow band of possibility rather than in the strongest viewing zone.
That kind of forecast gives readers a practical signal: if you live in Minnesota, the trip is not to a fixed viewing site but to a dark one. A clear sky matters less if nearby lighting washes out the display, and the forecast points more to a brief opportunity than a long run of visibility.
St. Cloud weather on Tuesday
St. Cloud adds the local weather detail for Minnesota readers. Tuesday night was expected to be mostly clear there with a low of 59, and Wednesday was expected to be clear with some patchy fog and a low of 51. Those conditions still leave the aurora dependent on what the sky looks like overhead.
Space.com recommends heading as far as possible from city lights, going out as soon as the sky gets dark, and looking north with a clear horizon. It also says the lights often come in waves, so a short look is less useful than staying patient once you are outside.
Julia Gomez and the sky watch
Gomez, a Trending reporter, covered space phenomena, scientific studies and natural disasters in the story that flagged the Minnesota chance. Her report also points readers to apps that track aurora forecasts by location, including My Aurora Forecast & Alerts and My Aurora Forecast.
For Minnesota readers, the immediate move is simple: check the sky only if local weather cooperates, and do it from the darkest place available. The two-night window is the story, but the real filter is whether clouds, fog and city light let the aurora borealis stand out long enough to notice.
