Unveiling When North Dakota Could See The Northern Lights Next

I seriously can't remember the last time I saw the Northern Lights in North Dakota.

I'm pretty sure it's close to 10 years or more. It seems like every recent opportunity to witness this celestial event in the sky, I forget about it, I'm sleeping, or the event doesn't happen at all.

That could all change tonight, as North Dakota is expected to see the Aurora Borealis in a big way.

In fact, the entire state is expected to be able to catch a peak of this spectacle in the sky tonight. Just take a look at this map from NOAA and The National Weather Service.

NOAA/National Weather Service Screenshot

The first map is for Friday evening, May 10th, 2024, and the second is for Saturday evening, May 11th, 2024.

Tonight especially, the entire state of North Dakota should have a good view of the Northern Lights. If we get a little cooperation from the clouds tonight, we could be in for a spectacular view (as of right now the forecast is for mostly clear skies).

Tomorrow evening looks a little less likely but the entire state will still have a chance of seeing some fireworks in the sky.

The Northern Lights, or its scientific name "Aurora Borealis" is a rare treat we get to see in this neck of the woods.

Have you ever wondered how this visual spectacle all comes together? According to Northern Lights Centre, "they are the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere."

What about the different spectacular colors we get to enjoy? That is due to the type of gas particles that are colliding.

We are getting into a lot of science talk that obviously I should've been paying more attention to back in school. No matter how it happens, I sure do love when it does.

As far as the best time to view the Northern Lights in North Dakota tonight, you shouldn't have to wait long after dark.

According to our staff meteorologists from Severe Weather Studios, you should look for the Aurora Borealis between 10 pm and Midnight tonight.

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

Gallery Credit: Anuradha Varanasi