Aurora borealis forecast: can I see the northern lights tonight?
Enter a ZIP code or use your location. The answer uses NOAA's Kp and aurora forecasts, darkness, cloud cover and moonlight for that spot. How it works.
Tonight (Mon Oct 12, 2026): peak forecast Kp 5.0 (G1). Likely visible from: Fairbanks, Anchorage. Possible low on the horizon from: Fargo, Duluth, Marquette.
Northern lights tonight across the US
| City | Kp needed | Tonight's peak | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks, AK | 3.9 | 5.0 | Likely |
| Anchorage, AK | 4.6 | 5.0 | Likely |
| Seattle, WA | 6.4 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Spokane, WA | 6.3 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Portland, OR | 6.8 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Missoula, MT | 6.3 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Boise, ID | 7.0 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Bismarck, ND | 6.1 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Fargo, ND | 6.0 | 5.0 | Possible, low on the horizon |
| Duluth, MN | 5.9 | 5.0 | Possible, low on the horizon |
| Minneapolis, MN | 6.3 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Marquette, MI | 5.9 | 5.0 | Possible, low on the horizon |
| Milwaukee, WI | 6.6 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Chicago, IL | 6.9 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Detroit, MI | 6.7 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Buffalo, NY | 6.6 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Burlington, VT | 6.3 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Portland, ME | 6.4 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Boston, MA | 6.7 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
| Denver, CO | 7.5 | 5.0 | Unlikely |
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Kp needed comes from the NOAA Space Weather Scales, which give latitudes for Kp 6–9. Values for places north of about 55° geomagnetic latitude (including Alaska) are our extrapolation. NOAA notes that even at Kp 0 the edge of the auroral oval sits near 66° geomagnetic latitude, so interior Alaska can see aurora on quiet nights. How we calculate this.
Aurora forecast for the next 3 nights
- Night of Mon Oct 12, 2026: peak Kp 5.0 (G1 storm level).
- Night of Tue Oct 13, 2026: peak Kp 4.0.
- Night of Wed Oct 14, 2026: peak Kp 2.7.
Full 3-day aurora forecast and NOAA map
Space weather data from NOAA, updated . Refreshed every 5 minutes.