Aurora Alert for Nov. 13: When and Where to See the Northern Lights Over Ohio

The northern lights have been visible across parts of Ohio this week, with displays reported as far south as Columbus and Cincinnati and, nationally, reaching Alabama. A continuing geomagnetic storm could bring the aurora back on the night of Nov. 13, though the display may be weaker than the Nov. 12 event.

What the experts say

The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has issued a level-3 (strong) geomagnetic storm watch for Nov. 13. This follows several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that left the sun on Nov. 9 and 10 and interact with Earth’s magnetic field to produce auroras.

How far south could the aurora reach?

During heightened geomagnetic activity the auroral oval expands toward lower latitudes, sometimes making the northern lights visible overhead in the northern United States. NOAA guidance indicates a level-3 storm can push visibility as far south as states such as Illinois and Oregon, and could make the aurora visible across Canada and into parts of the northern U.S., including Ohio.

Best time and viewing tips

For the clearest view, SWPC and NOAA recommend finding a very dark site away from city lights. Avoid nights with a full moon if possible. The typical peak window is within an hour or two of local midnight — roughly 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. local time — though aurora activity can occur outside this window.

Local weather

Cloud cover will influence whether you can see the lights: the National Weather Service forecast called for increasing clouds over Akron on the night of Nov. 13, while Columbus was expected to be partly cloudy and the Greater Cincinnati area looked mostly clear — improving viewing chances there.

What causes the aurora?

NASA describes auroras as glowing curtains or ribbons of light over Earth’s polar regions caused by solar activity such as solar flares and CMEs. Energetic charged particles carried by the solar wind are guided by Earth’s magnetic field toward the poles, where they collide with atmospheric gases and produce the colors and motion of the aurora. Space.com notes some energetic particles can travel at extremely high speeds (on the order of millions of miles per hour) before striking Earth’s atmosphere.

Photography tips

• Use a tripod to prevent blur during long exposures.
• Choose a wide-angle lens to capture more sky and include a foreground (trees, buildings, horizon) for context and better composition.
• For smartphones: mount on a tripod, use the timer or a remote shutter, disable the flash, and switch to night mode if available.
• Experiment with exposure times (start with several seconds), and check your images to adjust ISO and shutter speed.

Community sightings

Ohio residents shared photos and videos of the Nov. 11–12 displays from locations that avoided heavy light pollution. Social posts highlighted scenes from across the state as well as from farther south where the aurora reached unusually low latitudes.

Originally published by the Akron Beacon Journal; reporting draws on statements from NOAA, SWPC, NASA and Space.com.