The northern lights are plunging across Canada, and that means almost the entire country could see the sky lit up.
Some places are expected to get a “more intense” aurora tonight!
In a new northern lights forecast for October 16, NOAA said geomagnetic storm conditions are expected on Thursday and overnight into Friday.
This forecast also includes a map with a view line that shows the southern-most places where the aurora could be seen on the northern horizon.
B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec have places that are forecast to get “more intense” northern lights tonight.
A “more intense” aurora could be seen in Prince Rupert, Smithers, Prince George, Whitehorse, Banff, Jasper, Edmonton, Calgary, Yellowknife, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Churchill, and Moosonee.
The northern lights aren’t expected to be as intense, but could still be visible in Bella Coola, Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Lethbridge, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Saguenay, and Labrador City.
Places within the view line include Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, Charlottetown, Corner Brook and nearby areas.
Northern lights forecast map for October 16, 2025.NOAA
With NOAA’s forecast map, the brightness and location of the aurora are shown as a green oval that’s centred on Earth’s magnetic pole.
The green oval is overlaid with red on this map when the aurora is expected to be “more intense.”
NOAA said that the northern lights are visible directly overhead in places within the auroral oval, but can also be observed from 1,000 kilometres away when the aurora is bright.
There are northern lights viewing tips from the Canadian Space Agency that can help you see the aurora tonight.
Usually, the northern lights appear a few hours after sunset and then become more intense around midnight.
You need to find a place with little or no light pollution to better your chances of seeing the northern lights.
If a less intense aurora is forecast, even a bit of city light can block your view.
Once you’re in a dark location, look all around because the northern lights can appear anywhere in the sky, according to the Canadian Space Agency.
But if you’re in a place that’s along NOAA’s view line, the northern lights will only be visible toward the northern horizon.
This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
