LIVE
Fairbanks aurora cam - explore.org
Source: explore.org (YouTube) · YouTube embed
Northern lights tonight: United States
United States: the aurora is easiest to see in the north, e.g. Fairbanks, where a Kp of about 0 is enough. In the south, e.g. New York, you need a Kp of about 7.5. Below you have the aurora oval map, the 3-day Kp forecast and live chances for 7 cities.
Chance tonight in the north of the country (Fairbanks)
-
Kp needed to see the aurora low on the northern horizon (estimate): 0
Look north, away from city lights, ideally between 10 pm and 2 am.
Source: NOAA SWPC · GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences · Updated: -
Next nights
| Night | Highest Kp | NOAA scale | Chance here |
|---|---|---|---|
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Aurora oval right now
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Colour shows the probability of aurora overhead from the NOAA OVATION model for the next 30-90 minutes. The darker side of the globe is night: only there can the aurora be seen.
3-day Kp index forecast
Kp < 5Kp 5-6Kp 7+Kp needed to see the aurora low on the northern horizon: 0
Kp index, geomagnetic storms and where the aurora shows
The higher the Kp, the farther from the pole the aurora can be seen. From Kp 5 NOAA calls it a geomagnetic storm (scale G1-G5). The last column lists cities where the aurora may appear low on the horizon at that Kp (our approximate model).
| Kp | NOAA scale | What it means | Where it may be visible |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-3 | - | quiet | Edinburgh, Oslo, Tromsø, Rovaniemi, Reykjavík, Fairbanks |
| 4 | - | quiet | Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, Dublin, Calgary |
| 5 | G1 | minor storm | Copenhagen, Riga, Vancouver, Montreal |
| 6 | G2 | moderate storm | London, Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot, Łeba, Hel |
| 7 | G3 | strong storm | Białystok, Poznań, Warsaw, Wrocław, Paris, Chicago |
| 8 | G4 | severe storm | Kraków, Zakopane, Munich, Prague, New York, Hobart |
| 9 | G5 | extreme storm | Vienna, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Melbourne |
Chances by city
Aurora live on webcams
Cameras pointed at the sky in Lapland, Iceland, Canada and Alaska. The aurora shows only at night, under clear skies.
LIVE
Northern lights cam - explore.org
Source: explore.org (YouTube) · YouTube embed
LIVE
Aurora cam Reykjavík
Source: Aurora Reykjavík The Northern Lights Center (YouTube) · YouTube embed
FAQ
When can you see the northern lights in United States?
During stronger geomagnetic storms. In the north, e.g. Fairbanks, a Kp of about 0 is enough, while in the south, e.g. New York, you need about 7.5. Strong storms are most common around the equinoxes, in March and September.
Where is the best place to see the aurora in United States?
In the north of the country, away from city lights and with a clear view of the northern horizon. The darker, the better.
How do I know if there will be an aurora tonight in United States?
Check the Kp forecast on this page. If it goes above the value needed for your city at night and the sky is clear, you have a chance. A phone photo in night mode often shows the aurora better than your eyes.
How we estimate the chance: we compare NOAA's Kp forecast with an approximate aurora visibility boundary for the city's geomagnetic latitude. It is an estimate, not a guarantee - clouds and light pollution also decide whether you will see it.