Kp index Kp 3 locations
Moderate - northern regions

Kp 3 aurora locations

Kp 3 is a significant threshold - it brings aurora within reach of northern Scotland, the Northern Isles, and the more southerly parts of Scandinavia including Bergen. A Kp 3 event on a clear night in Shetland or Orkney produces visible aurora. This is one of the most commonly reached thresholds during the current solar maximum.

Locations reachable
133
sites at Kp 3+
Storm class
Quiet
geomagnetic activity
Threshold latitude
55.0°
where Kp 3 becomes the threshold
Current Kp
1
threshold not met

Kp 3 is a step up from Kp 2 and below Kp 4.

What Kp 3 means tonight

Kp 3 is a significant threshold - it brings aurora within reach of northern Scotland, the Northern Isles, and the more southerly parts of Scandinavia including Bergen. A Kp 3 event on a clear night in Shetland or Orkney produces visible aurora. This is one of the most commonly reached thresholds during the current solar maximum.

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 3+, the 133 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

131 locations in range at Kp 3+.

Alaska

67°N

Alaska hub – Fairbanks and Anchorage overview

From Kp 1

Alta

66°N

Northern Norway, polar night

From Kp 1

Andenes

66°N

Andøya north tip, lighthouse, Bleik beach, Space Centre

From Kp 1

Dalvík

66°N

North Iceland, Eyjafjörður fjord, Grímsey Arctic Circle ferry

From Kp 1

Dawson City

67°N

Yukon gold rush town inside the aurora oval

From Kp 1

Denali National Park

66°N

Six-million-acre wilderness, Alaska Range, minimal light pollution

From Kp 1

Fairbanks

67°N

Alaska, auroral oval, Cleary Summit

From Kp 1

Hammerfest

67°N

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

From Kp 1

Honningsvåg

67°N

North Cape gateway town, NATO mountain viewpoint

From Kp 1

Húsavík

66°N

North Iceland, Skjálfandi Bay

From Kp 1

Ilulissat

72°N

UNESCO Icefjord, icebergs and aurora

From Kp 1

Iqaluit

68°N

Nunavut capital, fly-in only, deep polar night

From Kp 1

Ísafjörður

67°N

Westfjords capital, deep fjord, Dynjandi waterfall

From Kp 1

Kangerlussuaq

70°N

Clearest skies in Greenland, tundra dark sky

From Kp 1

Kvaløya

66°N

Tromsø island, Kattfjordeidet headland

From Kp 1

Lyngen Alps

66°N

Alpine fjord scenery, 70°N

From Kp 1

Lyngseidet

66°N

Lyngenfjord ferry terminal, Lyngen Alps backdrop

From Kp 1

Mehamn

67°N

Barents Sea coast, Slettnes Lighthouse, polar night

From Kp 1

Nordkapp

67°N

Europe's northernmost accessible point, Magerøya plateau

From Kp 1

Nuuk

67°N

Greenland capital, Nuup Kangerlua fjord

From Kp 1

Senja

66°N

Island of contrasts, dramatic coastline

From Kp 1

Siglufjörður

66°N

Northernmost mainland fjord town, former herring capital

From Kp 1

Sommarøy

66°N

Island west of Tromsø, Polar Ocean horizon, Rebbenesøya

From Kp 1

Svalbard

75°N

Inside the auroral oval year-round

From Kp 1

Tromsø

66°N

World's aurora capital

From Kp 1

Tromsvik

66°N

Mainland north of Tromsø, Arctic Ocean views, Ullsfjorden

From Kp 1

Vardø

66°N

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

From Kp 1

Vesterålen

66°N

Island group north of Lofoten, Andøya, Bleik beach

From Kp 1

Westfjords

67°N

Iceland's most remote, darkest region

From Kp 1

Wood Buffalo National Park

65°N

World's largest Dark Sky Preserve, NWT-Alberta border

From Kp 1

Yellowknife

67°N

Aurora capital of North America

From Kp 1

Å i Lofoten

65°N

Lofoten's southwestern tip, preserved fishing village

From Kp 2

Abisko

65°N

Sweden's aurora capital, cloudless micro-climate

From Kp 2

Akranes

65°N

45 min from Reykjavik, peninsula lighthouse, Faxaflói bay

From Kp 2

Akureyri

66°N

North Iceland, Lake Mývatn

From Kp 1-2

Anchorage

63°N

Alaska, Kp 2 from the Chugach Range

From Kp 2

Bodø

64°N

Above Arctic Circle, Lofoten gateway

From Kp 2

Borgarnes

65°N

75 minutes from Reykjavik, fjord views, Snæfellsnes gateway

From Kp 2

Churchill

64°N

Sub-Arctic Manitoba, auroral oval

From Kp 2

Egilsstaðir

65°N

East Iceland, Lagarfljót lake, clear skies

From Kp 2

Finnish Lapland

64°N

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

From Kp 2

Finnsnes

66°N

Senja gateway, Gisund strait, 80 km south of Tromsø

From Kp 1-2

Gällivare

64°N

Dundret fell, less-visited Lapland

From Kp 2

Golden Circle

65°N

Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss

From Kp 2

Harstad

66°N

Hinnøya island, Vesterålen gateway, Trondenes peninsula

From Kp 2

Henningsvær

65°N

Island-village harbour, Festvågen headland, Lofoten

From Kp 2

Höfn

64°N

Southeast Iceland, glacier gateway, Vestrahorn mountain

From Kp 2

Inari

65°N

Finland's Sámi cultural capital, Lake Inari

From Kp 2

Ivalo

65°N

Finland's northernmost town at 69°N

From Kp 2

Jokkmokk

63°N

Sámi cultural town, winter market since 1605

From Kp 2

Jökulsárlón

64°N

Glacial lagoon, south coast

From Kp 2

Jukkasjärvi

64°N

ICEHOTEL on the Torne River

From Kp 2

Kautokeino

65°N

Finnmarksvidda plateau, Bortle Class 1, Sámi heartland

From Kp 2

Kilpisjärvi

65°N

Finland's far northwestern arm, three-country border, exceptional clear-sky microclimate

From Kp 2

Kirkenes

65°N

Russian border, east Finnmark, clear sky advantage

From Kp 2

Kirkjufell

66°N

Iceland's most photographed mountain, Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall

From Kp 2

Kiruna

64°N

ICEHOTEL and Swedish Lapland aurora

From Kp 2

Kittilä

64°N

Direct flights, gateway to Levi

From Kp 2

Landmannalaugar

64°N

Rhyolite highland, Bortle Class 1

From Kp 2

Leknes

65°N

Central Lofoten base, Unstad beach, Eggum coast

From Kp 2

Levi

64°N

Lapland ski resort, glass igloos

From Kp 2

Lofoten Islands

65°N

Dramatic coastline and dark skies

From Kp 2

Luleå

62°N

Swedish Lapland's coastal gateway, archipelago dark sky

From Kp 2

Luosto

63°N

Purpose-built aurora resort

From Kp 2

Muonio

64°N

Gateway to Levi and Pallas-Yllästunturi, aurora-camp lodges

From Kp 2

Mývatn

66°N

Volcanic lake, pseudocraters, Dimmuborgir lava fields

From Kp 2

Narvik

65°N

Arctic port city, Ofoten fjord, Narvikfjellet gondola

From Kp 2

Pyhä

63°N

Pyhä-Luosto National Park, glass-igloo resorts

From Kp 2

Reine

65°N

Moskenesøya peaks, Reinebringen summit, Kirkefjord rorbuer

From Kp 2

Reykjavik

65°N

Capital, Grótta lighthouse area

From Kp 2

Rovaniemi

62°N

Gateway to Finnish Lapland

From Kp 2

Saariselkä

64°N

Finland's best dark-sky area

From Kp 2

Selfoss

64°N

South Iceland, Golden Circle gateway

From Kp 2

Shetland Islands

59°N

Scotland's northernmost islands

From Kp 2

Skaftafell

64°N

Vatnajökull National Park, Svartifoss, near Jökulsárlón

From Kp 2

Snæfellsbær

66°N

Grundarfjörður and Ólafsvík, Snæfellsnes coast

From Kp 2

Snæfellsnes

66°N

Glacier peninsula, Kirkjufell mountain

From Kp 2

Stykkishólmur

66°N

Snæfellsnes north coast, Breiðafjörður bay reflections

From Kp 2

Svolvær

65°N

Lofoten hub, Svolværgeita peaks, Kabelvåg harbour

From Kp 2

Tärnaby/Hemavan

63°N

Western Swedish Lapland ski resorts, Vindelfjällen wilderness

From Kp 2

Vestmannaeyjar

64°N

Westman Islands, ferry from Landeyjahöfn, Eldfell volcano

From Kp 2

Vík

64°N

Reynisfjara black sand beach

From Kp 2

Vopnafjörður

66°N

Northeast Iceland, Bortle Class 1 fjord

From Kp 2

Whitehorse

64°N

Yukon, dark skies and wilderness lodges

From Kp 2

Ylläs

64°N

Finland's highest fell at 718 m

From Kp 2

Þingvellir

65°N

UNESCO rift valley, Golden Circle, 45 min from Reykjavik

From Kp 2

Þórsmörk

64°N

Highland valley, seasonal access only

From Kp 2

Aberdeen

56°N

North-east Scotland, coastal dark sky

From Kp 3

Ålesund

60°N

Art Nouveau coast, fjord archipelago

From Kp 3

Aviemore

56°N

Cairngorm plateau at 635m, Loch Morlich, Rothiemurchus

From Kp 3

Banff

56°N

Rocky Mountains, high-altitude dark sky

From Kp 3

Bergen

58°N

Gateway to the fjords

From Kp 3

Cairngorms

56°N

Dark-sky plateau above 1 000 m

From Kp 3

Calgary

56°N

Alberta, Ghost Reservoir and Kananaskis foothills

From Kp 3

Dundee

55°N

Angus coast, north-facing dark sky

From Kp 3

Edmonton

58°N

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

From Kp 3

Eiði

61°N

Risin og Kellingin sea stacks

From Kp 3

Fort Augustus

56°N

South end of Loch Ness, Great Glen dark sky

From Kp 3

Fort William

56°N

Gateway to the Great Glen and Nevis range

From Kp 3

Gásadalur

61°N

Múlafossur waterfall, clifftop village

From Kp 3

Helsinki

56°N

Finnish capital

From Kp 3

Inverness

56°N

Highland capital, dark-sky glens nearby

From Kp 3

Isle of Coll

56°N

IDA Dark Sky Community since 2013, flat open horizons

From Kp 3

Isle of Lewis

57°N

Callanish Standing Stones, Butt of Lewis

From Kp 3

Isle of Skye

56°N

Remote Highland island with clear north skies

From Kp 3

Jasper

57°N

Dark Sky Preserve, Alberta Rockies

From Kp 3

Keweenaw Peninsula

53°N

Michigan's UP, Brockway Mountain, Copper Harbor

From Kp 3

Kristiansund

61°N

Atlantic coast, Grip island dark sky

From Kp 3

Lahemaa National Park

56°N

Käsmu peninsula and Altja coast, Bortle Class 2, Gulf of Finland

From Kp 3

Lake Louise

56°N

Banff National Park, Moraine Lake and Icefields Parkway

From Kp 3

Molde

60°N

City of roses, Romsdal fjord aurora

From Kp 3

North Coast 500

57°N

Durness, Strathy Point — north-coast dark sky circuit

From Kp 3

Oban

56°N

Argyll coast, Ganavan Sands, Loch Etive dark sky

From Kp 3

Orkney Islands

58°N

Dark-sky archipelago north of mainland Scotland

From Kp 3

Oslo

57°N

Norwegian capital

From Kp 3

Outer Hebrides

57°N

Callanish, Luskentyre, Bortle Class 1-2

From Kp 3

Perth

55°N

Kinnoull Hill, Loch Tummel, Glen Lyon dark sky

From Kp 3

Pitlochry

56°N

Highland Perthshire, Loch Tummel, Ben Vrackie moorland

From Kp 3

Prince George

58°N

Northern BC, dark boreal forest

From Kp 3

Saaremaa

55°N

Estonia's largest island, Harilaid Bortle Class 2, Angla windmills

From Kp 3

Saskatoon

57°N

Saskatchewan's largest city, prairie dark sky

From Kp 3

Scotland

56°N

Scotland aurora hub — Shetland to Galloway

From Kp 3

Scottish Highlands

57°N

Glen Affric, Torridon, Assynt — remote Bortle 2 glens

From Kp 3

Sognefjord

59°N

Norway's longest fjord, Flåm and Balestrand

From Kp 3

Stavanger

57°N

Norway's 4th-largest city, Jæren coast

From Kp 3

Stockholm

56°N

Swedish capital, strong storms only

From Kp 3

Tallinn

55°N

Lahemaa coast and Paldiski Peninsula

From Kp 3

Tórshavn

61°N

Capital on Streymoy, Sornfelli summit

From Kp 3

Trondheim

61°N

Norway's third-largest city, Bymarka forest and Trondheimsfjord

From Kp 3

Ullapool

57°N

Loch Broom, Achnahaird Bay, Assynt moorland dark sky

From Kp 3

Umeå

60°N

Northern Sweden, High Coast aurora

From Kp 3
Common questions

Kp 3 aurora - FAQ

Everything you need to know about aurora visibility at Kp 3.

Can you see aurora in Scotland at Kp 3?
Yes, from the right locations. Shetland and Orkney are the most reliable - they sit at 59°N and 58°N magnetic latitude, where Kp 3 is often sufficient. The Scottish Highlands and the north coast of mainland Scotland can also produce visible aurora at Kp 3 on clear, dark nights well away from light pollution.
What makes Kp 3 different from Kp 2?
Kp 3 extends aurora visibility into the 55-61°N magnetic latitude band. This adds Shetland, Orkney, Bergen, the Faroe Islands, and Tallinn in Estonia. For UK observers, Kp 3 is the first level where aurora becomes genuinely possible from within the UK - not just from Norway or Iceland.
How often does Kp reach 3?
During the current solar maximum, Kp 3 is one of the most frequently observed levels - typically occurring on several nights per month. It does not require a geomagnetic storm; elevated solar wind speed or a weak CME arrival is usually sufficient.
Is Bergen Norway good for aurora at Kp 3?
Bergen sits at around 58°N magnetic latitude. At Kp 3 aurora is possible, particularly looking north from elevated positions above the city lights. Bergen is better positioned than cities further south but is significantly cloudier than the north of Norway - weather is the main constraint.
What are the best UK locations for Kp 3 aurora?
Shetland is the best UK option at Kp 3, followed by Orkney. Both are dark enough and far enough north to see aurora when the Kp reaches 3 on a clear night. The mainland Scottish Highlands can produce aurora at Kp 3-4 from dark sites such as the north coast or remote glen locations.
Sean Barraclough

Sean Barraclough

Creator of Aurora Tonight

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