Aurora forecast
Northern and southern lights outlook from the planetary Kp index, with tonight's chances for places across Canada, the UK, Ireland, the northern US and New Zealand.
Kp index now1.0Quiet
Highest in next 24 h1.7Quiet
DataNOAA SWPCUpdated 11:20 UTC
Kp index: yesterday to three days ahead
Sat 14
Sun 15
Mon 16
Quiet Active (Kp 4) Storm (Kp 5+) Strong storm (Kp 7+) · Faded bars are predictions. Times in UTC.
Tonight's chances
| Place | Outlook | Kp needed (horizon) | Max Kp tonight |
|---|---|---|---|
| London, England, United Kingdom | Very unlikely | 3.5 | 0.7 |
| New York, NY | Very unlikely | 5.2 | 1.0 |
| Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Very unlikely | 3.7 | 1.0 |
| Brooklyn, NY | Very unlikely | 5.2 | 1.0 |
| Chicago, IL | Very unlikely | 4.8 | 1.0 |
| Queens, NY | Very unlikely | 5.2 | 1.0 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Very unlikely | 5.5 | 1.0 |
| Manhattan, NY | Very unlikely | 5.1 | 1.0 |
| The Bronx, NY | Very unlikely | 5.1 | 1.0 |
| Columbus, OH | Very unlikely | 5.6 | 1.0 |
| Indianapolis, IN | Very unlikely | 5.8 | 1.0 |
| Seattle, WA | Very unlikely | 3.7 | 1.0 |
| Denver, CO | Very unlikely | 6.4 | 1.0 |
| Washington, DC | Very unlikely | 6.1 | 1.0 |
| Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | Very unlikely | 2.9 | 1.0 |
| Boston, MA | Very unlikely | 4.4 | 1.0 |
| Portland, OR | Very unlikely | 4.7 | 1.0 |
| Detroit, MI | Very unlikely | 4.5 | 1.0 |
| Louisville, KY | Very unlikely | 6.5 | 1.0 |
| Baltimore, MD | Very unlikely | 5.9 | 1.0 |
| Milwaukee, WI | Very unlikely | 4.2 | 1.0 |
| Leeds, England, United Kingdom | Unlikely | 2.3 | 1.0 |
| Omaha, NE | Very unlikely | 5.3 | 1.0 |
| Kansas City, MO | Very unlikely | 6.3 | 1.0 |
| Staten Island, NY | Very unlikely | 5.2 | 1.0 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | Very unlikely | 6.9 | 1.0 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Very unlikely | 3.4 | 1.0 |
| Cleveland, OH | Very unlikely | 4.9 | 1.0 |
| Aurora, CO | Very unlikely | 6.4 | 1.0 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | Very unlikely | 6.6 | 1.0 |
| Cincinnati, OH | Very unlikely | 6.0 | 1.0 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Very unlikely | 5.3 | 1.0 |
| Saint Paul, MN | Very unlikely | 3.4 | 1.0 |
| Lincoln, NE | Very unlikely | 5.6 | 1.0 |
| Anchorage, AK | Possible | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Meads, KY | Very unlikely | 6.4 | 1.0 |
| Newark, NJ | Very unlikely | 5.2 | 1.0 |
| Madison, WI | Very unlikely | 4.2 | 1.0 |
| St. Louis, MO | Very unlikely | 6.4 | 1.0 |
| Toledo, OH | Very unlikely | 4.8 | 1.0 |
How far south the aurora reaches
| Kp | Overhead from about | Low on the horizon from about |
|---|---|---|
| 3 · Quiet | 60° geomagnetic | 54° geomagnetic |
| 4 · Active | 58° geomagnetic | 52° geomagnetic |
| 5 · G1 minor storm | 56° geomagnetic | 50° geomagnetic |
| 6 · G2 moderate storm | 54° geomagnetic | 48° geomagnetic |
| 7 · G3 strong storm | 52° geomagnetic | 46° geomagnetic |
| 8 · G4 severe storm | 50° geomagnetic | 44° geomagnetic |
| 9 · G5 extreme storm | 48° geomagnetic | 42° geomagnetic |
Geomagnetic latitude is measured from the magnetic pole in northern Canada, so North America is about 10° “further north” magnetically than Europe at the same map latitude. Each place's aurora page shows its own value.
Tips for seeing the aurora
- Get away from town lights and face the pole: north in the northern hemisphere, south in the southern.
- The best hours are usually 10 pm to 2 am local time, but activity can arrive at any time of night.
- Clear skies matter more than anything. Check the cloud forecast for your town.
- Phone cameras often show colour the eye cannot. Try a 3–10 second night-mode shot.
- A bright Moon hides faint displays. Strong storms are still easy to see.
Kp data: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. Visibility uses a centred-dipole geomagnetic latitude and a common rule of thumb for the edge of the auroral oval, so it is a guide, not a guarantee. Sources and methods.