Local aurora forecast

Northern lights near me

Aurora visibility is local. Your latitude sets the Kp threshold; your sky darkness sets whether you can actually see it. Find the forecast for your exact position and the nearest dark sky sites to you tonight.

Find your forecast instantly

The fastest way to find your local aurora forecast is to use the location finder on the homepage. It detects your coordinates and shows tonight's aurora conditions for your exact position, including your Kp threshold, cloud cover, and the three nearest forecast pages to you.

Check aurora conditions for my location

For a 7-day view of upcoming geomagnetic activity, the forecast page shows predicted Kp night by night from NASA DONKI data. Use it to identify which nights in the coming week are worth planning around before committing to a trip to a dark sky site.

Why your specific location matters

Not all locations are equal. Someone on Shetland at 61°N needs Kp 2 to see aurora from a dark headland. Someone in London needs Kp 7 or above, and even then, city glow will probably wash it out. The difference between a dark sky reserve 5 km away and a city centre can determine whether you see aurora or nothing at all on the same night during the same storm.

Two variables set your local picture. The first is your Kp threshold, which is determined by your magnetic latitude - the closer you are to the magnetic pole, the lower the Kp you need. The second is your local sky darkness, which depends on cloud cover and light pollution. Both must cooperate on any given night for a visible display.

This is why generic "aurora tonight" articles are often misleading. A Kp 5 alert is a genuine chance from rural northern Scotland and completely irrelevant from central Manchester without a dedicated trip to dark skies. Your location page on this site gives you both numbers together.

Find your location by region

Select your country or region for the aurora forecast, Kp threshold, and nearest dark sky sites.

Northern hemisphere

Southern hemisphere

New Zealand

Kp 3–5 · Stewart Island to Queenstown

Australia

Kp 5–7 · Tasmania to Victoria

Argentina

Kp 3–4 · Ushuaia and south

Browse all aurora locations worldwide →

What to do once you find your location

Note your Kp threshold

Your location page states the minimum Kp required for aurora to be visible from your area. This is the number to check against every forecast.

Check the 7-day outlook for upcoming Kp forecasts

The forecast at /forecast shows predicted Kp for the next week. Look for nights where forecast Kp meets or exceeds your threshold.

Identify your nearest dark sky site

Your location page lists the three nearest dark sky spots with distances and descriptions. Pick one and know how to get there before an event fires.

Set an alert at your threshold

The northern lights alert page at /northern-lights-alert shows how to set up a NOAA notification so you are told automatically when Kp reaches your level.

When an alert fires and cloud cover is acceptable, go out between 10pm and 2am

This window covers magnetic midnight for most northern hemisphere locations. Check cloud cover specifically at your dark sky site, not your home postcode.

Understanding your Kp threshold

The Kp threshold for your location is set by magnetic latitude - the distance from the magnetic pole rather than the geographic pole. Magnetic latitude and geographic latitude are close for most of Europe and North America, but not identical. This is why two towns at the same geographic latitude can have slightly different aurora thresholds.

For a full explanation of the Kp scale and how it relates to aurora visibility, see the Kp index guide. For the Kp-to-latitude table showing how far south each storm level reaches, see how far south can you see the northern lights.

Aurora Forecast Tonight

Use the location finder for your exact aurora forecast.

All Aurora Locations

Complete directory of northern lights locations worldwide.

Northern Lights Alert

Set up alerts so you never miss an event.

How Far South?

What Kp reaches your latitude.

What Is the Kp Index?

How Kp determines your local aurora threshold.

Kp 5 Aurora Locations

All locations visible at G1 storm level.

Common questions

Answers to the most common questions about finding aurora near your location.

How do I find out if the northern lights are visible near me tonight?

Use the location finder on the Aurora Tonight homepage - it uses your GPS coordinates to show the current Kp, your local threshold, cloud cover, and tonight's outlook. Alternatively, find your nearest location page and check the live status card there.

What Kp do I need at my location?

It depends on your magnetic latitude. Northern Scotland and Scandinavia need Kp 1-3. The Baltic states, Denmark, and northern England need Kp 4-6. Southern England, the Netherlands, and central Europe need Kp 6-7+. Your location page lists the exact threshold for your area.

Can I see the northern lights from a city?

Technically possible during strong storms, but light pollution significantly reduces visibility. A Kp 7 storm might produce faint aurora visible from a London park but a clear display from the Surrey Hills or Exmoor 30 miles away. City viewing works best during extreme events (Kp 8-9) when aurora is bright enough to overcome the glow.

Are there northern lights near me tonight?

Check the live forecast on this site. If the current Kp meets or exceeds your local threshold and skies are clear, there is a chance. The 7-day outlook at /forecast shows upcoming elevated Kp periods.

What is the nearest dark sky site to me?

Your location page on this site lists the three nearest dark sky sites with distances and descriptions. Alternatively, the Dark Sky Finder tool and the International Dark-Sky Association map at darksky.org show designated dark sky parks and reserves by location.