Northern lights in Fairbanks tonight
Alaska, USA · 65° magnetic latitude · Kp 1-2 threshold
Kp 1 is at the threshold for Fairbanks. Aurora may be visible from a dark site if cloud cover permits.
7-day outlook for Fairbanks
Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.
auroratonight.space
What Kp is needed here?
Fairbanks sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 65°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 1-2 before the auroral oval expands far enough south to be visible from here.
At Kp 1-2, visibility is possible from Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks
Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.
Cleary Summit
Get directions ↗About 30 km north of Fairbanks on the Steese Highway. At 500 m elevation above the Fairbanks valley, Cleary Summit gives an elevated position above the city light dome with a clear north and northeast sky. A popular self-drive aurora chase location - local photographers and aurora tourists use the summit pullout as a base.
Chena Hot Springs Resort
Get directions ↗About 60 km east of Fairbanks. The resort provides heated aurora viewing yurts, a famous aurora ice museum, and natural geothermal hot springs to warm up between viewing sessions. Situated in forested wilderness well away from city lights, the resort gives Bortle 2-3 conditions. Hot springs aurora watching - soaking in geothermal water while watching aurora overhead - is what most aurora lodge packages here are built around.
Borealis Basecamp
Get directions ↗A dedicated aurora lodge about 30 km north of Fairbanks with heated aurora viewing pods positioned above the treeline. The pods are connected to sleeping quarters so guests can be woken when aurora appears. One of the most purpose-built aurora facilities in Alaska, comparable to Scandinavia's best glass igloo operations.
Best time to see the northern lights in Fairbanks
At 65°N magnetic latitude, Fairbanks has one of the longest aurora seasons in the world. Meaningful darkness returns in late August and displays are possible on almost any clear night from September through March. Only the endless daylight of May, June, and July rules out viewing completely.
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 Fairbanks's latitude.
May through July is effectively impossible for aurora viewing: the midnight sun keeps the sky bright around the clock at this latitude. No storm level, not even G5, can produce a visible display without astronomical darkness.
Up to 8 locations
How often does the aurora appear in Fairbanks?
Average nights per month the Kp reached Fairbanks's threshold of 1+, from 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024).
Counts the Kp 1+ threshold only - cloud cover and local darkness are not included.
Kp data: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, CC BY 4.0
Plan your trip to Fairbanks
Best window
The September to November window averages 86 aurora nights - the strongest consecutive stretch of the year.
How long to stay
Aurora at this latitude requires patience - allow as many nights as possible during March.
Related pages
Northern Lights USA
USA-wide aurora forecast hub.
Read →Northern Lights Anchorage Tonight
Anchorage - Alaska's largest city, 500 km south.
Read →Northern Lights Yellowknife Tonight
Yellowknife - Canada's aurora capital, same magnetic latitude.
Read →Northern Lights Photography
Camera settings for hot springs and boreal forest aurora.
Read →What Is the Kp Index?
Why Kp 1-2 is enough inside the auroral oval at ~65° geomagnetic latitude.
Read →Aurora photographs from Fairbanks
Real photos sourced from Wikimedia Commons.
Aurora over Fairbanks 
Aurora over Fairbanks 
Aurora over Fairbanks 
Aurora over Fairbanks 
Aurora over Fairbanks 
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