By Brian Smith, Des Moines Register
Iowans will have another chance to see the northern lights — if they can brave the cold.
A geomagnetic storm expected to hit the northern hemisphere late early on Tuesday, Jan. 20, will increase the possibility of the aurora borealis being visible as far south as Alabama to northern California, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center.
So how can you see the aurora borealis in Iowa?
Aurora borealis forecast: When will the northern lights be visible?
The aurora borealis is only expected to be widely visible in the early morning hours of Tuesday. Geomagnetic activity is expected to return to normal levels by Tuesday night.
When can I see the northern lights tonight in Iowa?
The powerful geomagnetic storm hit Earth’s atmosphere causing brilliant northern lights across multiple states.
Historically, the best time to see the lights is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Activity is expected to pick up around 9 p.m. CT on Monday and reach the strongest levels around 12 a.m. Tuesday, the SPWC’s forecast shows.
The SPWC’s viewline forecast shows aurora activity reaching Iowa’s northern border, with the viewline extending south into northern Missouri.
Avoid areas with light pollution that will dim the visibility. The Dark Sky Map shows the areas in Iowa with the most and least light pollution.
What will the weather be in Des Moines for the aurora borealis?
Provided by the National Weather Service
Clouds should push south out of the state in time for any northern lights sightings in Iowa. Much of the state, particularly in the stronger viewing areas in northern Iowa, will have clear skies around midnight Tuesday. In central Iowa, areas around Des Moines will see about 20% sky cover. Conditions
A cold weather advisory for much of the state is expected to expire at noon after wind chills as low as 30 degrees below zero were expected.
Air temperatures will be in the single digits across much of northern Iowa with a temperature around 11 degrees in Des Moines at midnight. Wind chills will be around 3 degrees in Des Moines and 10 degrees below zero in Mason City.
How to take photos of the aurora
The best way to take photos of the northern lights on a smartphone is by adjusting the exposure time and enabling night mode, according to USA TODAY.
Iowans share their tips for northern lights photos
Pete Raine shared his unedited photo of the Northern Lights on Oct. 4 on Facebook. His view was from his own home in Fairview, Iowa. He took the photo on an iPhone 14.
Raine said while the aurora was visible to his naked eye, it was much more vibrant through his phone camera.
Other members of the Facebook group, Iowa Through The Lens, recommended a ten second exposure, available on the iPhone 16 Pro. Several on the group reported seeing the Northern Lights across Iowa all week.
My Aurora Forecast & Alerts, an app available on iPhone and Android, will notify you of Northern Lights in your area and provide tips for best viewing.
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