Utah skies lit up Tuesday night with a rare and vivid display of the northern lights — a show sparked by powerful solar activity sweeping across Earth. On Wednesday, those same solar flares returned, raising hopes that the aurora borealis might appear again. Whether Utahns will actually see it, however, depends heavily on cloud cover.
The challenge: mid-level clouds continue to hang over most of Utah, especially through and shortly after sunset. That timing matters because researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks expect the strongest burst of geomagnetic energy from lingering coronal mass ejections between early evening and late night — the best window for aurora viewing.
But there’s encouraging news. Forecast models suggest these clouds will gradually thin out as the night progresses.
By 8 or 9 p.m., skies in the West Desert may shift to partly cloudy. The Wasatch Front may keep patches of cloud cover through about midnight, but meteorologists still expect breaks in the clouds rather than a solid overcast. Overnight into early Thursday morning, skies should clear even more, giving late-night watchers a better chance to catch the glow.
As for brightness, forecasters aren’t sure the lights will match Tuesday’s vivid display. Still, experts say similar magnetic conditions are possible from 5 p.m. Wednesday through about 2 a.m. Thursday — roughly the period when Utah has its clearest shot. Sunset arrives just after 5 p.m., lining up the timing almost perfectly if the clouds cooperate.
Masciulli advises patience: if you can wait for the clouds to thin, the aurora may show up again, especially across northern Utah. For southern Utah, the lights may remain closer to the horizon unless the solar activity intensifies.
For visitors or residents tracking geomagnetic activity nationally, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center offers real-time forecasts and alerts.
