UPDATES: G4 Geomagnetic Storm Predicted: Aurora Chances Oregon, Washington, California

Updates 01/19/26 at 4:55 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Portland, Oregon) – UPDATES ON TIMING, STRENGTH. Depending on weather in your part of Pacific Northwest, your chances of seeing some bright aurora borealis action tonight are really pretty good to decent. From about 10 p.m. to 1 p.m., the geomagnetic storm intensity is about what it was during that major event in May of 2024, a Kp index of 8. (Waldport: courtesy - Jaklyn Larsen Photography)

UPDATES: The Kp 8 came early and now G3 and G2 storms are expected - not as strong. Look from dusk into overnight hours, with strongest times NOW predicted dusk through about 1 a.m.

The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued a G4 or greater storm watch, with tonight reaching “severe” levels.

“Aurora may be seen as low as Alabama and northern California,” the SWPC said.

[UPDATE FROM OMSI'S JIM TODD] "If NOAA's forecast is correct, the CME will strike during the early hours of Jan. 20th. In North America, that means the night of Jan. 19-20. A severe storm could spark auroras visible to the naked eye in at least a dozen northern-tier US states. Photographic auroras with colors visible only to cameras (and smartphones) could descend as far south as Arizona, Texas and southern California."

Looking at tonight's forecast graphic, Oregon as well as most of its coastlines are well within the red viewing boundary.

UPDATES ON TIMING: "The best viewing hours are typically between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time," Todd said. Some stronger storms are still going until about 7 p.m.

The Kp 6 fun (a G2 storm) starts about 7 p.m. tonight (Monday). By 11 p.m. it's PREDICTED (this means possibly) to hit the Kp 8 range, a G4 category. The SWPC said it could be higher tonight.

Those in Washington and its coastlines will be able to see it overhead – if it happens. Those in Oregon and coastal areas like Manzanita, Lincoln City or Garibaldi should see it on the northern horizon – as will those in northern California.

However, weather in southern Oregon and the south coast starts to get quite hazy with a lot of fog, happening in Coos Bay, Bandon, Gold Beach, etc. Unless there's occasional clearing you may not catch it.

From Florence and Eugene northward the weather is quite clear, although more clouds come in for northern Washington regions like Seattle. It's predicted to be partly cloudy there.

Portland, Salem and the northern half of the coast appear to get the best deal tonight. However, it will be frightfully cold in those regions, with no clouds to keep in heat.

See what causes Aurora Borealis and Northern Lights:

First, they are caused by sunspots, which sometimes fire off plasma material from the Sun, according to NASA.

“Sunspots are cooler regions on the Sun caused by a concentration of magnetic field lines,” NASA said. “Sunspots are the visible component of active regions, areas of intense and complex magnetic fields on the Sun that are the source of solar eruptions.”

Those CMEs are what causes “space weather.” They hit the magnetic field generated by geologic forces inside the planet. It's like a shield of magnetism, called the magnetosphere. It lights up when material from the sun smacks into it.

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