Kp index Kp 2 locations
Quiet - oval locations only

Kp 2 aurora locations

At Kp 2, aurora becomes visible across most of northern Scandinavia, Iceland, and the high-latitude Canadian territories. The auroral oval expands slightly south of its Kp 1 position, bringing aurora within reach of popular destinations like Tromsø, Akureyri, and Whitehorse on most clear nights during the season.

Locations reachable
65
sites at Kp 2+
Storm class
Quiet
geomagnetic activity
Min magnetic latitude
75°
aurora visible south of
Current Kp
1
threshold not met

Kp 2 is a step up from Kp 1 and below Kp 3.

What Kp 2 means tonight

At Kp 2, aurora becomes visible across most of northern Scandinavia, Iceland, and the high-latitude Canadian territories. The auroral oval expands slightly south of its Kp 1 position, bringing aurora within reach of popular destinations like Tromsø, Akureyri, and Whitehorse on most clear nights during the season.

Right now

Current conditions

Kp now 1 G0 · Quiet

Low activity expected. Solar conditions are currently quiet. Chances of aurora visibility are low tonight.

The Kp index measures global geomagnetic disturbance on a scale of 0–9. At Kp 2+, the 65 locations on this page are potentially visible. Check your location's cloud cover for tonight's conditions.

QuietG1 stormG3Extreme

Kp index explained →

Locations sorted by tonight's cloud cover - clearest conditions first. Updated every 30 minutes.

Northern hemisphere

65 locations in range at Kp 2+.

Abisko

68°N

Sweden's aurora capital, cloudless micro-climate

From Kp 1-2

Alaska

65°N

Alaska hub – Fairbanks and Anchorage overview

From Kp 1

Alta

70°N

Northern Norway, polar night

From Kp 1-2

Andenes

69°N

Andøya north tip, lighthouse, Bleik beach, Space Centre

From Kp 1-2

Bodø

67°N

Above Arctic Circle, Lofoten gateway

From Kp 1-2

Churchill

67°N

Sub-Arctic Manitoba, auroral oval

From Kp 1-2

Dawson City

65°N

Yukon gold rush town inside the aurora oval

From Kp 1-2

Fairbanks

65°N

Alaska, auroral oval, Cleary Summit

From Kp 1-2

Finnish Lapland

67°N

Aurora belt above 68°N, Saariselkä, Levi, Ivalo hub

From Kp 1-2

Finnsnes

69°N

Senja gateway, Gisund strait, 80 km south of Tromsø

From Kp 1-2

Gällivare

68°N

Dundret fell, less-visited Lapland

From Kp 1-2

Hammerfest

70°N

Northernmost town, 70°N, polar night, Barents Sea

From Kp 1

Harstad

69°N

Hinnøya island, Vesterålen gateway, Trondenes peninsula

From Kp 1

Honningsvåg

71°N

North Cape gateway, 71°N, Nordkapp plateau

From Kp 1

Ilulissat

72°N

UNESCO Icefjord, icebergs and aurora

From Kp 1

Ivalo

69°N

Finland's northernmost town at 69°N

From Kp 1

Jukkasjärvi

68°N

ICEHOTEL on the Torne River

From Kp 1-2

Kangerlussuaq

73°N

Clearest skies in Greenland, tundra dark sky

From Kp 1

Kautokeino

69°N

Finnmarksvidda plateau, Bortle Class 1, Sámi heartland

From Kp 1

Kirkenes

70°N

Russian border, east Finnmark, clear sky advantage

From Kp 1

Kiruna

68°N

ICEHOTEL and Swedish Lapland aurora

From Kp 1-2

Kittilä

68°N

Direct flights, gateway to Levi

From Kp 1-2

Kvaløya

70°N

Tromsø island, Kattfjordeidet headland

From Kp 1

Levi

68°N

Lapland ski resort, glass igloos

From Kp 1-2

Luosto

67°N

Purpose-built aurora resort

From Kp 1-2

Lyngen Alps

70°N

Alpine fjord scenery, 70°N

From Kp 1

Lyngseidet

70°N

Lyngenfjord ferry terminal, Lyngen Alps backdrop

From Kp 1

Mehamn

71°N

Barents Sea coast, Slettnes Lighthouse, polar night

From Kp 1

Narvik

68°N

Arctic port city, Ofoten fjord, Narvikfjellet gondola

From Kp 1-2

Nuuk

71°N

Greenland capital, Nuup Kangerlua fjord

From Kp 1

Saariselkä

68°N

Finland's best dark-sky area

From Kp 1-2

Senja

69°N

Island of contrasts, dramatic coastline

From Kp 1-2

Sommarøy

69°N

Island west of Tromsø, Polar Ocean horizon, Rebbenesøya

From Kp 1-2

Svalbard

78°N

Inside the auroral oval year-round

From Kp 1

Tromsø

70°N

World's aurora capital

From Kp 1-2

Tromsvik

70°N

Mainland north of Tromsø, Arctic Ocean views, Ullsfjorden

From Kp 1-2

Vardø

70°N

Norway's easternmost town, Barents Sea, Bortle Class 1

From Kp 1

Vesterålen

69°N

Island group north of Lofoten, Andøya, Bleik beach

From Kp 1-2

Yellowknife

69°N

Aurora capital of North America

From Kp 1-2

Ylläs

68°N

Finland's highest fell at 718 m

From Kp 1-2

Akureyri

66°N

North Iceland, Lake Mývatn

From Kp 2-3

Anchorage

61°N

Alaska, Kp 2 from the Chugach Range

From Kp 2-3

Borgarnes

65°N

75 minutes from Reykjavik, fjord views, Snæfellsnes gateway

From Kp 2-3

Dalvík

66°N

North Iceland, Eyjafjörður fjord, Grímsey Arctic Circle ferry

From Kp 2

Edmonton

60°N

Alberta, Elk Island Dark Sky Preserve, 60°N magnetic

From Kp 2-3

Egilsstaðir

65°N

East Iceland, Lagarfljót lake, clear skies

From Kp 2

Henningsvær

68°N

Island-village harbour, Festvågen headland, Lofoten

From Kp 2

Húsavík

66°N

North Iceland, Skjálfandi Bay

From Kp 2

Ísafjörður

66°N

Westfjords capital, deep fjord, Dynjandi waterfall

From Kp 2

Leknes

68°N

Central Lofoten base, Unstad beach, Eggum coast

From Kp 2

Lofoten Islands

68°N

Dramatic coastline and dark skies

From Kp 2-3

Mývatn

65°N

Volcanic lake, pseudocraters, Dimmuborgir lava fields

From Kp 2

Reine

68°N

Moskenesøya peaks, Reinebringen summit, Kirkefjord rorbuer

From Kp 2

Reykjavik

65°N

Capital, Grótta lighthouse area

From Kp 2-3

Rovaniemi

66°N

Gateway to Finnish Lapland

From Kp 2-3

Scotland

57°N

Scotland aurora hub — Shetland to Galloway

From Kp 2-4

Shetland Islands

61°N

Scotland's northernmost islands

From Kp 2-3

Snæfellsbær

65°N

Kirkjufell mountain, Grundarfjörður

From Kp 2-3

Snæfellsnes

65°N

Glacier peninsula, Kirkjufell mountain

From Kp 2-3

Stykkishólmur

65°N

Snæfellsnes north coast, Breiðafjörður bay reflections

From Kp 2-3

Svolvær

68°N

Lofoten hub, Svolværgeita peaks, Kabelvåg harbour

From Kp 2

Umeå

64°N

Northern Sweden, High Coast aurora

From Kp 2-3

Vopnafjörður

65°N

Northeast Iceland, Bortle Class 1 fjord

From Kp 2-3

Westfjords

66°N

Iceland's most remote, darkest region

From Kp 2

Whitehorse

63°N

Yukon, dark skies and wilderness lodges

From Kp 2-3
Common questions

Kp 2 aurora - FAQ

Everything you need to know about aurora visibility at Kp 2.

What is the difference between Kp 1 and Kp 2 for aurora?
The difference is modest but meaningful. At Kp 2 the auroral oval expands south by a few degrees of latitude, bringing aurora within range of Reykjavik, Akureyri, the Lofoten Islands, Rovaniemi, and Whitehorse in the Yukon. Kp 1 locations are active at Kp 2 too - this is a cumulative list.
What are the best Kp 2 destinations?
Reykjavik and Akureyri in Iceland are among the most popular Kp 2 destinations, with good transport links and a well-developed aurora tourism industry. The Lofoten Islands in Norway add a dramatic coastal landscape to a Kp 2 threshold. Whitehorse in the Yukon and Rovaniemi in Lapland are also accessible at Kp 2.
How often does Kp reach 2?
Kp 2 is common - it occurs during most nights of elevated but not stormy solar activity. During the current solar maximum, Kp 2 events are routine. For anyone at a Kp 2 location, the limiting factor is almost always cloud cover, not geomagnetic activity.
Can you see aurora in Iceland at Kp 2?
Yes. Reykjavik sits at around 65°N magnetic latitude - just within range at Kp 2, especially from the Grótta lighthouse peninsula away from city lights. Akureyri and the north coast of Iceland are more reliably active at Kp 2. The Westfjords and Húsavík also sit at this threshold.
What should you expect from Kp 2 aurora?
At Kp 2 you can expect a low arc on the northern horizon from most high-latitude locations, brightening occasionally into active bands. It is not a dramatic storm-level display, but from a Kp 2 location it can be a clear, sustained arc that responds to photography well. At locations near the threshold boundary, the aurora may flicker and fade.
Sean Barraclough

Sean Barraclough

Creator of Aurora Tonight

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