Northern lights are forecast to be visible in most parts of Canada tonight

The northern lights could be seen from most of Canada over the next few nights.

That includes many cities and towns in B.C., Alberta and Ontario.

According to the NOAA aurora forecast, a solar flare is expected to cause geomagnetic storms that make the northern lights surge.

So, the northern lights could be visible in many parts of Canada at night on Thursday, July 2, into Friday, July 3 and then overnight into Saturday, July 4.

A “more intense” aurora is forecast in Prince Rupert, Prince George, Dawson Creek, Edmonton, Banff, Calgary, Lloydminster, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Churchill, Kenora, Dryden, Labrador City and more places.

The northern lights could be less intense in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Cranbrook, Lethbridge, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Moosonee, Saguenay, and nearby areas.

Northern lights forecast map for July 2 and July 3, 2026.NOAA

NOAA said that the aurora doesn’t need to be directly overhead for you to see it. The northern lights can be observed from as far as 1,000 kilometres away when the aurora is bright enough.

So, you could be able to see it even in places that are further from the aurora oval!

If you want to see the northern lights, the Canadian Space Agency’s aurora viewing tips can help you.

Typically, the northern lights appear a few hours after sunset and become more intense around midnight.

You should find a place with little or no light pollution because bright city lights can obstruct your view of a less intense aurora.

Then, when you’re in a dark location, you should look all around because the northern lights can appear anywhere in the sky, not just directly above you or toward the north.

You don’t need special equipment like a telescope or binoculars to see the northern lights.

This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.