Northern lights are plunging across Canada this weekend and could even be seen in Ontario

The aurora is not usually intense like this in the summer!

northern lights in the sky above a lake in canada

Northern lights in Canada,

Senior Writer

The northern lights are plunging across Canada this weekend.

You could even see the aurora in the night sky in the southern parts of Ontario and B.C.

According to NOAA's northern lights forecast, the aurora could be visible almost everywhere in Canada on Saturday, July 26 and overnight into Sunday, July 27.

Geomagnetic storms are likely because of potential coronal mass ejection activity from the sun.

The northern lights are typically easier to see in the winter and are most common at the spring and fall equinoxes.

So, the surge in the aurora this weekend is something to take advantage of!

You could see a "more intense" aurora in Whitehorse, Edmonton, Jasper, Calgary, Banff, Yellowknife, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Churchill, and Moosonee.

Also, the northern lights are expected to be less intense but visible in Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Lethbridge, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Saguenay, Labrador City and Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

This forecast from NOAA also has a view line that shows how far south the aurora could be seen on the northern horizon.

Toronto, the GTA, Kingston, Sudbury, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Gaspé, Moncton, Saint John, Charlottetown, and nearby areas are within the view line on Saturday night.

So, that means you could see the aurora on the northern horizon from southern Ontario, southern Quebec and parts of the Maritimes!

northern lights forecast map of canada for july 26 2025 with red and green to show intensity Northern lights forecast map of Canada for July 26, 2025.NOAA

The Canadian Space Agency has northern lights viewing tips that can help you see the aurora this weekend.

Typically, the northern lights appear a few hours after sunset and get more intense around midnight because the sky is darker.

You should find a place with little or no light pollution. If a less intense aurora is forecast in your area, just a bit of city light can block your view.

Then, once you find a place to see the aurora, look all around because the northern lights can appear anywhere in the sky.

If you're in a place along this forecast's view line, NOAA said the northern lights will only be visible toward the northern horizon.

But no matter where you are in Canada, you don't need special equipment like a telescope or binoculars to see the northern lights.

  • Senior Writer

    Lisa Belmonte (she/her) is a Senior Writer with Narcity Media. After graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), she joined the Narcity team. Lisa covers news and notices from across the country from a Canada-wide perspective. Her early coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic earned Narcity its first-ever national journalism award nomination.

19 products at Costco that are worth buying even if you live alone

Both name-brand and Kirkland Signature items get you a lot of bang for your buck. 🛒

You're not a true Ontarian unless you've been to at least 5 of these 12 natural wonders

How many of these have you crossed off your Ontario bucket list?