Will you be able to see the northern lights in KC again? What to know Wednesday
Aurora Borealis forecast models said there was a chance only the northern parts of Missouri could see the northern lights Tuesday night. But the pink and green sky was actually seen all across the Kansas City metro, and even reached as far south as Alabama and Florida.
If you missed it Tuesday, you may have a second chance Wednesday night.
The northern lights are predicted to shine again, according to the Space Prediction Center with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The NOAA says the coronal mass ejection released during yesterday’s solar flare could spark strong to severe geomagnetic storm conditions, which would create the conditions that make the northern lights visible Wednesday.
“The aurora is not visible during daylight hours,” NOAA says on its website. “The aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as much as 1000 km away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right.”
NOAA’s graphic shows that a red line marked as the “view line” ends at a halfway mark through Iowa, which would mean Missouri and Kansas residents have would not have a chance of seeing the northern lights.
But Space.com says auroras can be tricky, and with geomagnetic activity still strong and another coronal mass ejection on the way, auroras could reach much farther south than predicted. It could potentially be visible across much of the U.S. if the conditions are right and the skies are clear.
Missouri and Kansas residents saw firsthand what happens when the conditions were right, as the northern lights were visible far beyond the predicted Missouri-Iowa border.
How to see the northern lights
If you’re looking to see the aurora in the sky, here are a few tips to help your viewing experience from Space.com:
- Find a north-facing watch point with a clear view of the horizon as far from light pollution as possible.
- Use your phone camera to scan the sky. The camera can pick up faint auroras before your eyes spot them and will give you a good idea of the direction you should look.
- Try to let your eyes adapt to the dark for at least 30 minutes. Space.com says this will help your night vision develop.
If you do see the northern lights Wednesday, fill out the form below, where it’ll be included in a future roundup highlighting what the Kansas City metro could see.
This story was originally published November 12, 2025 at 12:59 PM.
