Northern lights are forecast to be visible almost everywhere in Canada this weekend

The northern lights are forecast in most parts of Canada this weekend.

That includes many cities and towns in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.

According to the NOAA aurora forecast, geomagnetic storms caused by a coronal mass ejection from the sun are expected to make the northern lights shine across the country.

So, you could see the northern lights in Canada on Saturday, August 1 and overnight into Sunday, August 2.

A “more intense” aurora is forecast in places like Prince George, Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Grande Prairie, Edmonton, Banff, Calgary, Lloydminster, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Churchill, and Fort Severn.

The northern lights are likely to be less intense in Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Kelowna, Cranbrook, Lethbridge, Winnipeg, Kenora, Dryden, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins, Moosonee, Saguenay, Sept-Iles, Rimouski and nearby places.

NOAA said the aurora doesn’t need to be directly overhead for you to see it. The northern lights can be observed from as far as 1,000 kilometres away when the aurora is intense enough.

That means it can be visible near the northern horizon in places that are further from the aurora oval, like more southern parts of Ontario and Quebec.

Northern lights forecast map for August 1, 2026.NOAA

There are aurora viewing tips from the Canadian Space Agency that can help you see the northern lights this weekend.

Usually, the northern lights appear a few hours after sunset and then become more intense around midnight.

You should find a place with little or no light pollution, especially if a less intense aurora is forecast in your area, since city lights can make it difficult to spot the aurora.

Once you’re in a dark location, you should look all around, according to the Canadian Space Agency. That’s because the northern lights can appear anywhere in the sky, not just directly above you.

Astronomy gear, like a telescope or binoculars, isn’t needed to see the northern lights in Canada.

This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.