Live aurora forecast

Northern lights Poland tonight

Poland sits at 52–55°N magnetic latitude - moderate to strong geomagnetic storms are needed, but the May 2024 G5 event demonstrated that aurora is achievable across the country. Gdańsk on the Baltic and the Masurian Lakes district are the best-positioned locations. Select a location for a local forecast and dark sky guide.

Aurora forecast - Poland

Unlikely tonight

Kp 1 is well below the Kp 5 from northern Poland threshold. No significant aurora activity is expected at this time.

Current Kp

of 9

Best threshold in Poland: Kp 5 from northern Poland Ref. latitude: ~54°N mag.

↓ Bz — nT Solar wind — km/s Density — p/cm³ ☁ —% at ref. site

Conditions right now: — Kp + Bz + solar wind + cloud + moon

7-day outlook for Poland

Today

21 May

Quiet

Tomorrow

22 May

Quiet

Sat

23 May

Quiet

Sun

24 May

Quiet

Mon

25 May

Quiet

Tue

26 May

Quiet

Wed

27 May

Quiet

Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours. Badges show the best-case location in Poland.

Aurora visibility by Polish location

Gdańsk

Unlikely

Baltic port city — best-positioned major city in Poland

~54°N mag. lat. Needs Kp 5+

Masurian Lakes

Unlikely

Northeast Poland, darkest skies in central Europe

~54°N mag. lat. Needs Kp 5+

Best time to see the northern lights in Poland

Aurora in Poland requires significant geomagnetic storms. Only the deep mid-winter months offer nights dark and long enough for viewing, and only during periods of elevated Kp.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Poland aurora at a glance

Poland is at the outer edge of regular aurora territory in Europe - comparable to Germany and the Netherlands. The May 2024 G5 storm changed many Polish observers' perception of what is possible from home. What had seemed like a purely Scandinavian phenomenon proved reachable from Polish beaches and lake shores. During that event, aurora was photographed in vivid red and green from Gdańsk's beaches, the dunes of Słowiński National Park, and the flat horizons of the Masurian Lakes.

During the current solar maximum, Kp 5–6 events occur frequently enough to make aurora a realistic prospect several nights per year for those with dark sky access in the north of the country. The Hel Peninsula on the Baltic coast faces north across open sea - one of the few places in Poland with both latitude advantage and an unobstructed ocean horizon.

Aurora Locations Worldwide

Global hub for all aurora forecast regions.

Northern Lights Gdańsk Tonight

Gdańsk - Baltic coast, best aurora city in Poland at 54°N magnetic.

Northern Lights Masurian Lakes Tonight

Masurian Lakes - Poland's darkest skies and best aurora region.

Northern Lights Latvia

Latvia - just north of Poland, lower Kp threshold.

Northern Lights Estonia

Estonia - 60°N magnetic latitude, Kp 3–4 threshold, comparable to Norway.

What Is the Kp Index?

What Kp 5 means for aurora visibility at 54°N magnetic latitude.

Common questions

Northern lights in Poland - when, where, and what Kp is needed.

Can you see the northern lights in Poland?

Yes, during moderate to strong geomagnetic storms. Poland sits at 52–55°N magnetic latitude - strong G2–G3 events are needed across most of the country, but the northern regions around Gdańsk and the Masurian Lakes sit closer to the lower threshold of 54°N. The G5 storm of May 2024 produced aurora widely photographed across all of northern Poland, including from city centres. Outside exceptional events, Kp 5–6 is the reliable working threshold.

What Kp is needed for aurora in Poland?

Kp 5 from Gdańsk and the Masurian Lakes district in the northeast. Kp 6–7 from Warsaw and central Poland. The threshold drops toward the north: Gdańsk at 54°N magnetic is the best-positioned major Polish city and occasionally sees aurora during G1–G2 storms from dark coastal sites. Warsaw at 52°N needs Kp 6. Southern Poland (Kraków) needs a genuine major storm.

Where is the best place to see aurora in Poland?

The Masurian Lakes district in northeast Poland gives the best combination of dark sky and favourable latitude. Over 2,000 lakes create an open landscape with minimal light pollution and the northeast position adds a slight latitude advantage. Gdańsk and the Hel Peninsula give a north-facing Baltic coast horizon - useful for seeing low-altitude aurora that a flat land horizon would miss. Słowiński National Park on the Baltic coast between Gdańsk and Szczecin is also well regarded.

How often does Poland see the northern lights?

During the current solar maximum (2024–2026), Kp 5+ events occur roughly 20–30 times per year. Not all of those nights will be clear, and Poland's maritime and continental weather gives substantial cloud cover at times. A realistic expectation for observers with dark sky access in northern Poland is 3–8 visible aurora nights per year during an active solar period - comparable to Germany or the Czech Republic's aurora frequency.

What happened during the May 2024 aurora in Poland?

The G5 geomagnetic storm of 10–11 May 2024 - the strongest in 20 years - pushed the auroral oval so far south that vivid red and green aurora was photographed across the whole of Poland, including from Warsaw and Kraków. Many Poles saw aurora for the first time. The event demonstrated that even at Poland's latitude, exceptional solar activity can produce memorable displays. Such G5 events are rare, occurring only a few times per solar cycle.

Northern lights Poland tonight

7-day outlook for Poland

Aurora visibility by Polish location

Best time to see the northern lights in Poland

Poland aurora at a glance

Related pages

Common questions

Photograph the Aurora - Recommended Gear