BELLINGHAM, Wash. – A solar storm forecast for Thursday, July 13th, is expected to give sky gazers in 17 states including Washington a chance to see the Northern Lights.

The Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, are most often seen in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia.

But an 11-year solar cycle that is expected to peak in 2024 is making the lights visible in places farther to the south.

The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks has forecast auroral activity on Thursday in 17 states, including Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Auroral activity also has been forecast for Canada, including Vancouver.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center said that the best viewing times are between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.

Northern Lights occur when a magnetic solar wind slams into the Earth’s magnetic field and causes atoms in the upper atmosphere to glow.