Northern lights may appear in 14 states, including Wisconsin, on July 1 and 2
The July 1 aurora forecast has ha a Kp index of five while July 2 has an index of four. For indexes in this range, lights will likely be "brighter and there will be more auroral activity" — if they make an appearance — since they're moving further from the poles, according to the SWPC.
The SWPC also has an aurora forecast tool, which provides a short-term forecast. The forecaster shows the lights' location and intensity for the next 30 to 90 minutes.
Luckily, the weather should cooperate if the northern lights make an appearance this week.
The National Weather Service forecasts clear skies for most of the state on July 1, including in Green Bay, Appleton, Milwaukee and Madison.
Milwaukee is also expected to be mostly clear on July 2, along with Madison, Kenosha and Racine. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms later on in Madison, Green Bay and Appleton.
More: After one cloudy day, Milwaukee weather will be great heading into the 4th of July
The SWPC says the lights are typically best 'within an hour or two' of midnight, meaning you should keep an eye out between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
You should also head away from city lights and seek high vantage points for a better chance of seeing them. You can find a full list of tips on the SWPC's website.
Here's a list of spots across Wisconsin that offer some of the best views of the night sky:
Newport State Park, Ellison Bay
Driftless Region, Wisconsin
Harrington Beach State Park, Belgium
Kettle Moraine State Forest, Eagle
Kohler-Andrae State Park, Sheboygan
Parnell Tower, Plymouth
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Aurora borealis may make Fourth of July week appearance in Wisconsin
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