Boston could get 1 more northern lights show before 2024 ends!
Right now, the forecast for seeing the northern lights — if they're visible — is favorable for viewing tonight, with just a few scattered clouds in the Boston area
Highs will be in the low 50s Tuesday. Watch the video to see what else to expect.
It's been a banner year for seeing the northern lights, but if you missed any of Boston's aurora sightings earlier in 2024, you might — might — have one more shot before the calendar turns to 2025.
Two strong coronal mass ejections launched from the sun Monday morning, triggering shortwave radio blackouts in Australia. While that seems a bit alarming, it's nothing we haven't seen before in this active solar cycle.
These CMEs, as they're called, are delivering a glancing shot at Earth, so that should temper expectations for a dazzling display of the aurora borealis in the next day or two.
In fact, based on the speed and intensity of the energy pulse, it appears that the best places to see the northern lights will be across northern New England, predominately toward dawn Tuesday morning.
There is still a chance that we could have some secondary bursts behind the primary wave of energy, which would keep us on aurora watch into New Year's Eve. It's also worth noting that we won't know the precise intensity of the CME until it's within the range of Earth's solar wind detectors.
Right now, the forecast is favorable for viewing tonight, with just a few scattered clouds and temperatures falling into the upper 30s to low 40s. You can use our interactive weather radar below to estimate cloud cover over the coming hours by tapping the layers button and selecting "Satellite."
And if you'd like to keep up to date on the latest conditions and predictions for the northern lights, check in with the Space Weather Prediction Center, or follow them on social media.
The northern lights were seen on at least two nights in Boston this year, in May and again, even brighter, in October.
See photos from both nights below — the colors varied from emerald green to a deep purple the first night, with a brilliant pink predominant when the aurora returned.
Huong Truong
Photo of the Boston Light lighthouse under the Aurora Borealis taken from Hull
Christian Shahzade
Taken around 10:30pm Friday May 10th
CatieO
Portsmouth, NH
Jon Latorella
This is a picture that I took at about 10pm in Beverly of the Northern Lights
Trina Puffer
Photo of Aurora in Newburyport a little after 10pm. Challenging to see with the naked eye, but beautiful through the phone, no filter.
Carol Bruell
Northern lights with Big Dipper from Chelmsford MA
Mark Garfinkel/NBC10 Boston
The northern lights as seen from Halford Beach in Winthorp, Massachusetts, with Revere Beach to the left
Kyle DuBreuil/NBC10 Boston
The northern lights in Lyndeborough, New Hampshire
Diane Maini
12:46am Sat May 11
sophia capobianco
I was able to catch the northern lights in Easthampton through the clouds- the most unreal thing i’ve ever seen. I never expected to see them in my home state
Roshan Shetty
Northern lights seen over Peters Hills near Arnold Arboretum, Forest Hills.
Todd Cieplinski
N lights Westfield MA
Daniel Huynh
A photo of City of Boston under the Northern Light taken from Hull
Todd Cieplinski
N lights Westfield MA
Todd Cieplinski
N lights Westfield MA
Todd Cieplinski
N lights Westfield MA
Daniel Huynh
Photo of the Boston Light Lighthouse under the northernlight while a meteor crossed by
Michael Pescaro
Jamaica Pond, Boston
Michael Pescaro
Brookline, Massachusetts
Michael Pescaro
Buckmaster Pond, Westwood, Massachusetts
Michael Pescaro
Ellis Pond, Norwood, Massachusetts
Mike Pescaro/NBC10 Boston
Northern lights over the NBC Boston Media Center in Needham, Massachusetts.
Courtesy
Northern lights over Brunswick, Maine
Jeff Saperstone/NBC10 Boston
Northern lights in Wellesley, Massachusetts
Kirsten Glavin/NBC10 Boston
Northern lights over Hyannis Port on Cape Cod
Kaitlin McKinley Becker/NBC10 Boston
Northern lights over Franklin, Massachusetts
Victoria Napoletano
Jennifer Russell
Victoria Napoletano
Northern lights over Newmarket, New Hampshire
Courtesy
Northern lights over Westminster, Massachusetts
Mark Garfinkel
Chelsea O’Malley
Hunter taking in the view of the Northern Lights in Rutland, Massachusetts!
David
Northern lights over Lynn ma
Pete Mo
Geomagnetic storm view from Northborough, MA
Mark
Northern lights over Campers Haven in Dennis Port, Massachusetts.
Lucy Broman
Northern lights as seen from the Chatham Fish Pier on Thursday night.
Richard
Aurora borealis over Lowell, Massachusetts.
Angelique Neptune
Aurora borealis over Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts.
Christian Ramirez
Mark Garfinkel
Keith Freeland
