Northern lights Portland, Oregon tonight
Portland, Oregon - not Portland, Maine - sits at 51° magnetic latitude on the edge of the Pacific Northwest aurora zone. The threshold is Kp 5 to 6 from a proper dark site. Rowena Crest in the Columbia River Gorge, 80 miles east, gives the best accessible northern horizon and benefits from the Gorge's Cascade rain shadow. Best season: September to April.
Aurora visibility - Portland, Oregon
Unlikely tonight
Kp 1 is well below the Kp 5–6 threshold needed for aurora to be visible from Portland, Oregon.
Current Kp
1
of 9
7-day outlook for Portland, Oregon
Today
26 May
Tomorrow
27 May
Thu
28 May
Fri
29 May
Sat
30 May
Sun
31 May
Mon
1 Jun
Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.
What Kp is needed here?
Portland, Oregon sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 51°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 Portland, Oregon 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 Portland, Oregon
Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.
Rowena Crest, Columbia River Gorge
Get directions ↗An overlook on the Historic Columbia River Highway, 80 miles east of Portland at roughly 700 metres. The headland juts north over the Columbia River, giving an unobstructed view into Washington State. Light pollution from Hood River is visible to the west but the northern arc is clean. The Gorge rain shadow means this spot typically has 50 per cent more clear nights than Portland itself. Accessible year-round on paved road.
Timothy Lake, Mount Hood National Forest
Get directions ↗A reservoir at 1,060 metres in Mount Hood National Forest, south of Portland via US-26. The north shore faces open water with the Cascade peaks behind. Bortle 4 at the lake, improving to Bortle 3 on the forest roads to the north. The elevation helps on nights when Portland's Willamette Valley is under marine cloud. Open camping at the lake year-round.
Stub Stewart State Park
Get directions ↗A state park in the Tualatin Mountains, 35 miles west of Portland via US-26. Ridge position at roughly 300 metres gives a slightly elevated northern view. The closest accessible dark site to Portland - not pristine, but usable on strong-storm nights when Kp reaches 6 or above. The park has overnight cabins and camping.
Sauvie Island
Get directions ↗A large island in the Columbia River, 15 miles north-west of Portland. The northern tip faces the river and the Washington bank, away from Portland city lights. Not a true dark sky site - this is for convenience during major storms (Kp 7+) when 15 miles from the city centre is sufficient. Beach access and a north-facing horizon with no obstructions.
Best time to see the northern lights in Portland, Oregon
At 51°N magnetic latitude, Portland, Oregon 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 Portland, Oregon'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.
Other Pacific Northwest aurora forecasts
← USA overviewOregon
Alvord Desert Bortle 1-2, Crater Lake
Washington
Okanogan Highlands and North Cascades
Seattle
Pacific Northwest, Hurricane Ridge and Cascades
Idaho
Craters of the Moon Dark Sky Park
Related pages
Northern Lights Oregon
Oregon-wide aurora forecast - Alvord Desert, Crater Lake, and statewide conditions.
Northern Lights Washington State
Washington State aurora - Okanogan Highlands and North Cascades.
Northern Lights Seattle Tonight
Seattle at Kp 4-5 - Hurricane Ridge and east-of-Cascades dark sky options.
Northern Lights Idaho Tonight
Idaho - Craters of the Moon Dark Sky Park and inland clear skies.
What Is the Kp Index?
What Kp 5-6 means for aurora at 51° magnetic latitude.
Aurora photographs from Portland, Oregon
Aurora borealis over Portland, Oregon
ISS Expedition 29 crew · Public domain · Source
Aurora borealis over Portland, Oregon
ISS Expedition 29 crew · Public domain · Source
Aurora borealis over Portland, Oregon
ISS Expedition 29 crew · Public domain · Source
Aurora borealis over Portland, Oregon
The original uploader was 14jbella at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 1.0 · Source
Common questions
Aurora watching from Portland, Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge.
