SALT LAKE CITY — Utah and other parts of the West could see another heavenly show Thursday and Friday nights.
The National Weather Service's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a watch for a G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm, which is predicted strong solar activity that increases the odds of magnetic field disruptions. It also increases the odds that an aurora borealis will be visible farther away from Earth's poles, including Utah.
An aurora borealis, or northern lights, occurs when solar material from the sun hits Earth's magnetic fields, creating a colorful display in the sky.
This week's watch is one of the strongest alerts so far this year, following a G4 (severe) watch from a storm that produced northern lights that were visible in Utah in November. High aurora activity could linger past sunset, according to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute.
A G3 (Strong) Geomagnetic Storm Watch has been issued for June 4–5 due to a trio of recent M-class and X-class solar flares! Get those cameras ready for tomorrow night! pic.twitter.com/2iQEIrvQ5a
— BuffaloWeather (@weather_buffalo) June 3, 2026
The northern lights "may be visible" in northern Utah and are also "possible" across the rest of the state this time around, according to a map produced by the Space Weather Prediction Center. Some areas might be able to see it with a camera, if not the naked eye.
Most of Idaho and Wyoming may also see the spectacle, with it likely across northern Idaho, along with most of Washington and Montana.
The watch extends into Friday, but the Geophysical Institute projects lower activity levels by the time the sun sets across the West.
