Northern Lights Visible In NE, Midwest U.S. This Week

The Northern Lights are visible much further south than usual this week, and those in the Northeast U.S. have a very good chance of getting to see them. If you're located in Pennsylvania, Ohio, most of Indiana, parts of Kentucky, and some of the lower New England states, you'll have a very good chance of seeing the rare celestial show. Those located in the midwestern U.S. also have a decent shot at seeing them, weather permitting, as well as those located in Washington state and Oregon.

The northern lights are a special colorful light show usually reserved for those located further north, making this week's show a rare and special occurrence. Those located in the northeastern United States have prime viewing, as you can see in the map below, but those in "fair" states shouldn't give up hope.

Earlier today, for example, Iowa Storm Chasing shared an image snapped in central Iowa clearly showing the northern lights. Cloudy weather toward the west is mostly to blame for the limited visibility — many in the northeastern US have clear skies throughout the week.

Those in Canada are mostly without luck, unfortunately, with only a small part of those in the east/Great Lakes region and on the west coast having a "fair" chance. The first half of night is the best time to see the event happen, according to AccuWeather, with those in darker areas having a better chance than others in bright cities.

SOURCE: AccuWeather

Image via Frank Olsen