Northern lights in Smithers, British Columbia, Canada
Possible
Forecast activity may bring aurora low over the northern horizon. Find a dark spot with a clear view that way.
- Max Kp forecast tonight
- 1.7
- Kp needed for the horizon
- 0.6
- Kp needed overhead
- 3.5
Kp forecast for Smithers
Quiet Active (Kp 4) Storm (Kp 5+) Strong storm (Kp 7+) · Faded bars are predictions. Times in local time.
Can you see the northern lights from Smithers?
Smithers is at about 59° geomagnetic latitude. Aurora can appear low over the northern horizon when the Kp index reaches about 0.6, and overhead from about Kp 3.5. Even quiet nights can bring aurora here when the sky is dark and clear.
For the best chance, wait until it is fully dark, leave the town lights behind and face north with a clear, low view of the horizon. Displays often come in bursts of 10 to 30 minutes, so stay out for a while. Your phone's night mode may show colour before your eyes do.
Kp data: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, updated 14 Nov 19:15 UTC. The outlook uses a centred-dipole geomagnetic latitude and a rule of thumb for the edge of the auroral oval. Real displays vary, so treat it as a guide. Sources and methods.