Live UK aurora forecast

Northern lights UK tonight

Current Kp status and aurora visibility for all UK regions. Select your location for a local forecast with dark sky sites and the Kp threshold for your latitude.

Current Kp: 1 · Quiet

Aurora visibility by UK region

Scotland

Shetland Islands

Low chance

~61°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 2+

Orkney Islands

Unlikely

~59°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 3+

Inverness

Unlikely

~58°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 3+

Isle of Skye

Unlikely

~57°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 3+

Fort William

Unlikely

~57°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 3+

Cairngorms

Unlikely

~57°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 3+

Aberdeen

Unlikely

~57°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 3+

Scotland overview

Unlikely

~56°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 4+

Edinburgh

Unlikely

~56°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 4+

Dundee

Unlikely

~56°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 4+

Stirling

Unlikely

~56°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 4+

Glasgow

Unlikely

~55°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 4+

Dumfries & Galloway

Unlikely

~55°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 4+

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland overview

Unlikely

~54°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Antrim

Unlikely

~55°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Derry

Unlikely

~54°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Belfast

Unlikely

~54°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Northern England

Northumberland

Unlikely

~55°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Carlisle

Unlikely

~55°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Newcastle

Unlikely

~54°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Durham

Unlikely

~54°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Sunderland

Unlikely

~54°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Lancaster

Unlikely

~54°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 5+

Yorkshire

Unlikely

~53°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Leeds

Unlikely

~53°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Sheffield

Unlikely

~53°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Liverpool

Unlikely

~53°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Manchester

Unlikely

~53°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Midlands

Lincoln

Unlikely

~53°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Nottingham

Unlikely

~52°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Derby

Unlikely

~52°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Leicester

Unlikely

~52°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Birmingham

Unlikely

~52°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Wales

Snowdonia

Unlikely

~53°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Brecon Beacons

Unlikely

~52°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Pembrokeshire

Unlikely

~52°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Wales overview

Unlikely

~52°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Cardiff

Unlikely

~51°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 7+

South & East England

Norwich

Unlikely

~52°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Cambridge

Unlikely

~52°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 6+

Oxford

Unlikely

~51°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 7+

Bristol

Unlikely

~51°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 7+

London

Unlikely

~51°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 7+

Southampton

Unlikely

~50°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 7+

Brighton

Unlikely

~50°N mag. lat. · Needs Kp 7+

How the UK aurora forecast works

The Kp index - a global measure of geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm), updated every three hours - determines how far south the auroral oval expands. Each UK location has a minimum Kp threshold based on its magnetic latitude. When current Kp meets or exceeds that threshold, aurora is potentially visible from that location if the sky is clear and light pollution is low.

Magnetic latitude differs slightly from geographic latitude. The UK's magnetic pole tilt means locations in the UK have magnetic latitudes roughly 2-3° higher than their geographic latitude, which is why aurora reaches the UK at all during moderate storms.

All forecasts are based on current real-time Kp from NASA DONKI, updated every 30 minutes. A "possible" rating means conditions are at threshold - not guaranteed, but worth going to a dark site if cloud cover permits.

Full space weather forecast including CMEs and solar flares →

UK visibility by Kp level

Kp	Storm level	UK visibility
3-4	Quiet (G0)	Northern tip of Scotland, Orkney, Shetland
5	G1 Minor	Scottish Highlands, Inverness area and above
6	G2 Moderate	Most of Scotland, potentially Northern Ireland
7	G3 Strong	All of Scotland, N. Ireland, northern England
8	G4 Severe	All of UK, potentially as far south as London
9	G5 Extreme	All of UK and beyond, visible from southern England

Northern Lights Scotland Tonight

Aurora forecast for Scotland with dark sky sites and current Kp status.

Northern Lights Edinburgh Tonight

Live aurora visibility for Edinburgh and the best nearby dark sites.

Northern Lights Northern Ireland Tonight

Aurora forecast for Northern Ireland with local visibility threshold and dark sites.

Best Time to See Northern Lights UK

Which months, times, and conditions give the best odds across the UK.

Tips for Viewing the Northern Lights

Practical advice on dark skies, timing, and what to watch for.

Common questions

Northern lights visibility across the UK - what to expect and where to go.

Can you see the northern lights from England?

Yes, but it requires a significant geomagnetic storm. Northern England (Newcastle, Yorkshire) needs Kp 5-6. The Midlands and London typically need Kp 7 or above - that is a G3 (strong) storm. During the May 2024 storms (Kp 8-9), aurora was visible across England, including from southern counties.

Which part of the UK sees the most aurora?

The Scottish Highlands, particularly the north coast, Orkney, and Shetland. Their higher magnetic latitude (around 58-60°N) means aurora is visible at much lower Kp values than anywhere further south. Inverness sees aurora several times per year during periods of moderate activity. London might see it once or twice per solar cycle.

What Kp is needed for aurora to be visible across the whole UK?

Kp 7 or above. At Kp 7, the auroral oval extends to roughly 50°N magnetic latitude, which covers all of the UK. London sits at about 51°N magnetic latitude, so Kp 7-8 is the threshold there. At Kp 9 (extreme storm), aurora has been photographed from southern England and even northern France.

Is light pollution a problem for UK aurora watching?

It is a significant obstacle in cities and large towns. Aurora is a wide, low-contrast phenomenon at UK latitudes during moderate storms. Light domes from urban areas reduce contrast against the sky. Getting 20-30 minutes by road from any large settlement makes a substantial difference. The UK has several designated dark sky areas - Galloway Forest Park, Northumberland, Eryri, and Brecon Beacons - where conditions are genuinely dark.

Do I need to travel to Scotland to see the northern lights?

Not necessarily. During moderate storms (Kp 5-6), Scotland is your best bet and the journey is worth making if you are planning ahead. But if a Kp 7+ storm is forecast and you live in northern England, it is worth going to a local dark site rather than waiting or travelling far. At Kp 8-9, anywhere in the UK with clear skies has a chance.

Data updated at 10 May, 11:02 UTC · Refreshes every 30 minutes

Northern lights UK tonight

Aurora visibility by UK region

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Northern England

Midlands

Wales

South & East England

How the UK aurora forecast works

UK visibility by Kp level

Related pages

Common questions