Northern lights Anglesey tonight
Anglesey is an island off the northwest coast of Wales at 53°N magnetic latitude. Kp 5-6 is needed for aurora to reach this latitude. The island's separation from the mainland means the western headlands at South Stack and Newborough Warren reach Bortle Class 2 - substantially darker than anything on the Welsh mainland coast at the same latitude. During significant storms, aurora appears as a green arc on the northern horizon over the Irish Sea.
Aurora visibility - Anglesey
Unlikely tonight
Kp 1 is well below the Kp 5-6 threshold needed for aurora to be visible from Anglesey.
Current Kp
1
of 9
7-day outlook for Anglesey
Today
21 May
Tomorrow
22 May
Sat
23 May
Sun
24 May
Mon
25 May
Tue
26 May
Wed
27 May
Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.
What Kp is needed here?
Anglesey sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 53°N. The Kp index - a global measure of geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm), updated every 3 hours - needs to reach Kp 5-6 before the auroral oval expands far enough south to be visible from here.
At Kp 5-6, visibility is possible from Anglesey but skies need to be clear and dark. Cloud cover and light pollution remain the main obstacles even when Kp is high enough.
Best dark sky sites near Anglesey
Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.
South Stack lighthouse headland
Get directions ↗South Stack is a small island off the western tip of Holy Island, connected to the Anglesey mainland by a footbridge below the RSPB Ellin's Tower visitor centre. The clifftop above the lighthouse gives the most open western and northern horizon on Anglesey, with the Irish Sea visible in all directions above the cliffs. The access road ends at the RSPB car park, free at night; the clifftop walk to the best viewpoints takes 5 minutes on a clear path. Holyhead's port lights are visible 3 km to the north but do not dominate the western horizon. Bortle Class 2 on the clifftop. The road is tarmac throughout and the car park has toilet facilities.
Newborough Warren - Llanddwyn Island
Get directions ↗Newborough Warren is a National Nature Reserve on the southern tip of Anglesey, covering an extensive dune system and the tidal causeway to Llanddwyn Island. The beach faces southwest across Caernarfon Bay with views south toward the Llŷn Peninsula. The northern view from the dune system is open over the Warren and the Menai Strait beyond. At night the beach is completely dark; the nearest light source is Newborough village 3 km east. Bortle Class 2 from the beach. The NRW car park at Llanddwyn has timed parking barriers; arrive before dark or check the NRW website for out-of-hours access. The forest track to the beach takes 15 minutes by foot.
Mynydd Twr (Holyhead Mountain)
Get directions ↗Mynydd Twr is the highest point on Holy Island at 220 m, immediately behind Holyhead. The summit gives 360-degree views across the Irish Sea with the Wicklow Hills of Ireland visible in clear weather 90 km to the west. The northern horizon extends over open sea toward the Isle of Man. Holyhead port lies 2 km to the northeast and produces a light dome that affects the northeastern sky; the western and northern arc toward Ireland is considerably cleaner. A car park on the mountain road below the Iron Age hillfort gives easy access; the summit is a 15-minute walk on a clear path. Bortle Class 3 overall, improving toward Class 2 on the seaward face.
Best time to see the northern lights in Anglesey
At 53°N magnetic latitude, Anglesey sits at the lower end of regular aurora territory. Only the deep mid-winter months of November through January offer nights dark enough for aurora to be visible, and only then when a significant geomagnetic storm pushes the auroral oval this far south.
Activity peaks around the September and March equinoxes, when Earth's magnetic field geometry is most favourable for coupling with the solar wind. Events during these two windows tend to produce the strongest displays of the year for observers at Anglesey's latitude.
Outside November through January, twilight is too bright for aurora viewing even during significant storms. The season is short, but the equinox months on either side of winter can extend it slightly when storm timing aligns.
Related pages
Northern Lights Wales Tonight
Wales-wide aurora forecast with regional thresholds.
Northern Lights Snowdonia Tonight
Snowdonia National Park - 30 km east, similar latitude, Bortle Class 2 mountains.
Northern Lights Isle of Man Tonight
Isle of Man - 90 km north across the Irish Sea, lower Kp threshold at 54°N.
Northern Lights Pembrokeshire Tonight
Pembrokeshire - Wales's darkest headlands, Strumble Head and St David's Peninsula.
What Is the Kp Index?
How the Kp scale determines aurora visibility at your latitude.
Common questions
Aurora on Anglesey - South Stack, Newborough Warren, Kp threshold, and how to get there.