Aurora Tonight
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Northern lights Pembrokeshire tonight

Pembrokeshire faces north over the Irish Sea from headlands with virtually no light pollution. Strumble Head and the St David's Peninsula are among the darkest coastal aurora spots in Wales. Kp 6-7 is the threshold.

Aurora visibility — Pembrokeshire

Unlikely tonight

Kp 1 is well below the Kp 6-7 threshold needed for aurora to be visible from Pembrokeshire.

Current Kp

1

of 9

Threshold for Pembrokeshire: Kp 6-7 Magnetic latitude: ~52°N Updated: 10 May, 11:08 UTC

What Kp is needed here?

Pembrokeshire sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 52°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 6-7 before the auroral oval expands far enough south to be visible from here.

At Kp 6-7, visibility is possible from Pembrokeshire 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 Pembrokeshire

Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.

Strumble Head

The lighthouse headland north-west of Fishguard faces north across the Irish Sea with open Atlantic views to the north and west. One of the darkest coastal positions in Wales. Accessible by road with a small car park at the lighthouse.

St David's and the Pembrokeshire Coast

Britain's smallest city sits in a national park with very low light pollution. The coast north and south of St David's faces west and north-west over the Irish Sea with no land between it and Ireland to the north-west and nothing but ocean to the north.

Garn Fawr hillfort

An iron age hillfort on a rocky summit above Strumble Head. The elevated position at around 213 m gives 360-degree views with open Irish Sea to the north and west. Very dark with no nearby settlement light.

Marloes Peninsula

The narrow peninsula west of Milford Haven gives open sea on three sides with north-facing cliff tops. The coast path above Marloes Sands gives clear north-westerly views over St Bride's Bay.

Other UK aurora forecasts

UK overview Wales overview Brecon Beacons Cardiff

Related pages

Northern Lights UK

Live aurora forecast hub for all UK regions.

Northern Lights Wales Tonight

Wales-wide aurora forecast and dark sky overview.

Northern Lights Brecon Beacons Tonight

The Brecon Beacons International Dark Sky Reserve in mid Wales.

Northern Lights Photography

Pembrokeshire's dramatic coastline for aurora photography.

What Is the Kp Index?

What Kp 6-7 means for viewing from west Wales.

Common questions

Aurora watching from Pembrokeshire and the west Wales coast.

Is Pembrokeshire good for aurora watching?
Very good for Wales. The Pembrokeshire coast faces north and north-west over the Irish Sea with no land between it and the aurora. The Strumble Head area gives Bortle 3-4 conditions with essentially no light pollution in the northern direction. At Kp 6-7 a display is visible from the coast.
What Kp is needed for aurora in Pembrokeshire?
Kp 6-7 from Strumble Head and the north Pembrokeshire coast. At ~52°N magnetic latitude a moderate geomagnetic storm is required. The coast's advantage is the lack of any obstructed northern horizon - the Irish Sea gives an unbroken view to the north from any headland.
Why is Strumble Head good for aurora watching?
Strumble Head is one of the furthest westerly accessible points in Wales and faces directly north over the Irish Sea. The lighthouse headland has no developed land to the north for hundreds of kilometres of open ocean. Combined with the complete absence of nearby light sources, it gives some of the darkest and most unobstructed northern sky in Wales.
Can you see the northern lights from St David's?
From the coast and headlands around St David's, yes. The city itself has minimal light pollution and is entirely surrounded by national park. Ramsey Island to the north-west and the St David's Peninsula coast give open north-facing sea views. During Kp 6-7 a display is visible from the headlands.
How does Pembrokeshire compare to the Brecon Beacons for aurora?
Different advantages. The Brecon Beacons gives higher altitude and is an International Dark Sky Reserve. Pembrokeshire gives open sea horizons facing north with coast that is extremely dark. For coastal aurora photography the Pembrokeshire coast is exceptional. For the overall sky experience, the Beacons are slightly darker overhead but Pembrokeshire is better for low north-horizon displays.