Northern Lights Forecast
Live geomagnetic and solar-wind conditions from NOAA SWPC — Kp, IMF Bz, density, 3-day forecast, and OVATION oval coverage for aurora hunting in both hemispheres.
Space weather now
Current Geomagnetic Activity
Estimated Kp updates about every minute; official planetary Kp is a 3-hour index. Southward IMF Bz (negative) is usually required for strong auroral coupling.
Kp Index Scale (0–9)
Outlook
3-Day Aurora Forecast
Daily cards show the highest predicted/observed Kp that day. The timeline below uses NOAA’s 3-hour Kp bins (UTC).
3-Hour Kp Timeline (UTC)
Auroral oval
Oval Coverage & Visibility
Equatorward reach
How to read this: The schematic ring expands as Kp rises. Published edges are geomagnetic latitudes of the oval’s equatorward boundary — geographic visibility depends on longitude, local magnetic midnight, cloud cover, and darkness. Horizon glows can appear several degrees equatorward of the overhead oval.
Why Bz matters
When the interplanetary magnetic field’s north–south component (Bz) points south (negative in GSM), it reconnects with Earth’s field and dumps solar-wind energy into the magnetosphere — the main on-switch for bright aurora.
Kp is not instant
Official planetary Kp is a 3-hour quasi-logarithmic index from magnetometer stations. The 1-minute estimated Kp shown here is a nowcast for hunting; storms can still peak between bins.
Dark skies still win
Even at high Kp you need astronomical darkness, clear skies, and low light pollution. Midsummer polar day, bright moonlight, and city glow can hide everything but the strongest displays.
Best Viewing Locations
🇺🇸 Interior Alaska
Spots: Fairbanks, Coldfoot, Denali foothills
Season: late Aug – mid Apr
Typical Kp: 1–3 overhead
Lat: ~64–67°N
Classic auroral zone🇨🇦 Northwest Territories
Spots: Yellowknife, Inuvik, Churchill (MB)
Season: Sep – Mar
Typical Kp: 1–3
Lat: ~58–68°N
High clear-sky odds inland🇮🇸 Iceland
Spots: Þingvellir, Snæfellsnes, Jökulsárlón
Season: Sep – early Apr
Typical Kp: 2–4 (clouds common)
Lat: ~64–66°N
Atlantic sector oval🇳🇴 Northern Norway
Spots: Tromsø, Lofoten, Nordkapp, Alta
Season: Sep – Mar
Typical Kp: 1–3
Lat: ~68–71°N
Often under the oval🇸🇪 Swedish Lapland
Spots: Abisko, Kiruna, Jukkasjärvi
Season: Sep – Mar
Typical Kp: 1–3
Lat: ~68°N
Abisko rain shadow🇫🇮 Finnish Lapland
Spots: Inari, Utsjoki, Saariselkä, Kilpisjärvi
Season: Sep – Mar
Typical Kp: 1–3
Lat: ~68–70°N
Kaamos dark season🇦🇶 Antarctica / Southern Ocean
Spots: Research stations, expedition ships
Season: Mar – Sep (austral winter)
Typical Kp: 1–3
Lat: ~65–78°S
Aurora australis zone🇳🇿 / 🇦🇺 Mid-latitude south
Spots: Stewart Island, Lake Tekapo, Tasmania
Season: Mar – Sep nights
Needed Kp: ~5–7+ (storms)
Lat: ~41–47°S
Storm-driven onlyAurora Viewing Guide
Best conditions
- Astronomical darkness (Sun well below −12° to −18°)
- Clear skies and low humidity / haze
- Dark site: Bortle 1–3 preferred; block city light to the north (NH)
- Southward Bz sustained for tens of minutes helps more than a brief Kp spike
- Solar wind often ≥400 km/s with elevated density during active periods
- Look toward the pole; arcs often start on the poleward horizon
Photography tips
- Manual mode, RAW, sturdy tripod, remote or 2 s timer
- Wide fast glass: 14–24 mm, f/1.4–f/2.8
- ISO 1600–6400 (sensor-dependent); prefer lower ISO + longer if arcs are slow
- Shutter ~1–15 s for structure; shorter for active corona
- Manual focus on a bright star (or infinity mark, then fine-tune)
- Cameras often reveal green/magenta before eyes do
Kp & NOAA G-scale
- Kp 0–2: Oval over high Arctic / Antarctic
- Kp 3–4: Good for Alaska, N. Canada, Scandinavia, Iceland
- Kp 5 (G1): Northern U.S. border, Scotland, southern Scandinavia
- Kp 6 (G2): Mid-northern U.S., central Europe on the horizon
- Kp 7–8 (G3–G4): Mid-latitudes (~40°N) possible
- Kp 9 (G5): Rare extreme events; very low latitudes
Aurora colors (physics)
- Green (~557.7 nm): Atomic oxygen, ~100–200 km — most common
- Red (~630.0 nm): Atomic oxygen, ≳200–300 km — needs strong energy input
- Blue / purple: Molecular nitrogen (and N₂⁺), often lower border / sunlit
- Pink fringes: Mix of N₂ and O emissions
- Naked-eye color needs sufficient brightness; dim aurora often looks gray-white
- Intensity tracks particle energy flux, not just Kp alone
Notifications
Geomagnetic Alerts
Recent NOAA SWPC watches, warnings, and alerts related to geomagnetic activity. For push/email subscriptions, use the official Space Weather Prediction Center services.
Data note: Conditions are proxied from NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center products (estimated Kp, planetary Kp forecast, solar-wind summaries, OVATION, alerts). Forecasts can change quickly. Visibility always depends on weather, darkness, and local horizon — this page is educational and not an official forecast product.