Northern lights could be visible for most of Canada tonight: weather experts

CTV viewer Lynn Blair shared these photos taken from her home in Furdale, just south of Saskatoon. (Courtesy: Lynn Blair)

The northern lights may be visible across most of Canada tonight, with even the southernmost regions having the potential to see them, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The likelihood of seeing the lights will be high across Western Canada, northern Ontario and Quebec, and the territories, except for parts of the Arctic.

The southern portion of the country will have a harder time seeing the lights, including around Vancouver Island, southern Ontario and Quebec, and most of Atlantic Canada.

The information comes from the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, which maintains a current forecast of where the northern lights can be seen.

Also called the aurora borealis, the northern lights occur when electrons from space descend through Earth’s magnetic field and collide with particles in the atmosphere around the magnetic poles, leading to an effect similar to that of neon lights.

The best way to see the lights is to get out of the city and look for clear conditions. Although the southern portions of the country are within range to see the lights, it may be worth heading farther north to have a better chance of seeing them clearly.