Northern Lights over Northern Virginia tonight? Capital Weather Gang is doubtful.
Last edited Mon Jan 19, 2026, 07:26 PM - Edit history (3)
INSIDENOVA STAFF 3 hrs ago
Northern Lights in Vint Hill on Nov. 11, 2025. By Maggie Berry
A severe geomagnetic storm is underway, and it may give the D.C. area another chance to see the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, tonight into early tomorrow.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center says the aurora may dip as far south as Alabama late tonight into early Tuesday, if the forecast verifies.
A large sunspot cluster produced a coronal mass ejection, known as a CME, that is anticipated to arrive at Earth as early as today, NOAA said.
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@capitalweather.bsky.social
Kp index has dropped below 8 -- which won't get it done for northern lights in DC area except far from city lights in rural areas. Could still tick back up. We'll keep you posted.
6:39 PM · Jan 19, 2026
Kp index has dropped below 8 -- which won't get it done for northern lights in DC area except far from city lights in rural areas. Could still tick back up. We'll keep you posted.
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather.bsky.social) 2026-01-19T23:39:24.545Z
@capitalweather.bsky.social
Update: intensity of geomagnetic storm that would trigger northern lights here has ticked down a bit (closer to 8), which is less favorable. Also, orientation of magnetic field not ideal.
Things could change quickly... Keep looking up and we'll keep you posted.
Capital Weather Gang
@capitalweather.bsky.social
· 1h
Aurora a good bet this evening - look as soon as it gets dark.
At KP9, aurora is often viewable around DC even with urban lights.
Although aurora may be visible to the naked eye in such an intense event, cell phone cameras and other long-exposure photography will capture it more strongly.
6:06 PM · Jan 19, 2026
Update: intensity of geomagnetic storm that would trigger northern lights here has ticked down a bit (closer to 8), which is less favorable. Also, orientation of magnetic field not ideal.
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather.bsky.social) 2026-01-19T23:06:31.196Z
Things could change quickly... Keep looking up and we'll keep you posted.
@capitalweather.bsky.social
Aurora a good bet this evening - look as soon as it gets dark.
At KP9, aurora is often viewable around DC even with urban lights.
Although aurora may be visible to the naked eye in such an intense event, cell phone cameras and other long-exposure photography will capture it more strongly.
5:44 PM · Jan 19, 2026
Aurora a good bet this evening - look as soon as it gets dark.
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather.bsky.social) 2026-01-19T22:44:35.036Z
At KP9, aurora is often viewable around DC even with urban lights.
Although aurora may be visible to the naked eye in such an intense event, cell phone cameras and other long-exposure photography will capture it more strongly.
@capitalweather.bsky.social
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More info at cwg.live
5:52 PM · Jan 19, 2026
More info at cwg.live
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather.bsky.social) 2026-01-19T22:52:12.979Z
@capitalweather.bsky.social
Can track the kp values here.. it dipped a bit but these big storms tend to bounce up and down a while. kp.gfz.de/en/hp30-hp60
Hp30 & Hp60 - Kp index
kp.gfz.de
5:50 PM · Jan 19, 2026
Can track the kp values here.. it dipped a bit but these big storms tend to bounce up and down a while. kp.gfz.de/en/hp30-hp60
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather.bsky.social) 2026-01-19T22:50:36.120Z
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