Northern Lights Possible in West Michigan This Weekend

Recurring solar activity and a coronal mass ejection could create a geomagnetic storm, increasing the chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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After about a month without any Northern Lights sightings in West Michigan, there is a chance they could be visible this coming Sunday night. A recurring coronal hole on the sun and a coronal mass ejection due to arrive on Valentine's Day are creating conditions for a G1 geomagnetic storm, which could produce K-index values high enough for the Aurora Borealis to potentially be seen in the region.

Why it matters

The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are a natural light display in the sky caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with gases in the Earth's atmosphere. While they are more commonly seen in northern latitudes, they can occasionally be visible in Michigan when solar activity is high enough to create the necessary geomagnetic conditions.

The details

According to Meteorologist Jeff Porter, the two key factors coming together this weekend are a recurring coronal hole on the sun, which can produce fast-moving solar winds, and a coronal mass ejection due to arrive on Valentine's Day. This setup is expected to create a G1 geomagnetic storm, with K-index values around 5 a.m. on Sunday. Typically, a K-index of 6 or 7 is needed to see the Northern Lights in West Michigan, but this weekend's activity could still make them a possibility.

  • The Northern Lights were last observed in West Michigan about a month ago, in mid-November 2025.
  • The next chance to see the Aurora Borealis in the region is expected this coming Sunday night, February 16, 2026.

The players

Alexi Majors

A resident who captured impressive photos and videos of the Northern Lights in Pennfield Township, Michigan in November 2025.

Jeff Porter

A meteorologist who provided the forecast and analysis of the upcoming geomagnetic storm conditions that could enable Northern Lights sightings in West Michigan.

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What they’re saying

“This is awesome! Alexi Majors caught quite the Northern Lights show in the middle of November in 2025.”

— Jeff Porter, Meteorologist (WWMT)

What’s next

If the Northern Lights are visible this weekend, residents are encouraged to upload their photos and videos to the Chime In galleries on the WWMT website.

The takeaway

While the Northern Lights are more commonly seen in northern latitudes, solar activity can occasionally create the conditions for them to be visible as far south as Michigan. This weekend's forecast suggests there is a chance, albeit a slim one, that the Aurora Borealis could make an appearance in the West Michigan sky, providing a rare and awe-inspiring natural light display for local residents.